Foreign Affairs on November 1–15, 2008

European Integration

6th Meeting of the EU-Moldova Cooperation Subcommittee on Trade and Investments

On November 13, 2008, Brussels hosted the 6^th Meeting of the EU-Moldova Subcommittee on Trade and Investments, which discussed topics related to the situation of the investment climate in Moldova and foreign, bilateral trade, as well as within regional arrangements.

European experts have appreciated the progress made by Moldova in the area of public procurements after adopting the new legal framework, in implementing European standards relating to customs, protection of intellectual property and use of the Autonomous Trade Preferences. It was highlighted the increasing weight of the EU as No.1 commercial partner of Moldova. At the same time, European experts recommended Moldova to increase efforts in order to reform areas linked to sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards and competition.

With regard to the future of Moldovan-EU relations, the European side reconfirmed the readiness of the European Commission to negotiate a deeper Free Exchange Agreement with Moldova in the near future. A feasibility research will be worked out and its findings will be released in the second quarter of 2009 (According to a press release by MFAEI).

Meeting of officials in charge with European integration within central public administration authorities

Officials in charge with the European integration within central public administration (CPA) authorities convened in a sitting on November 6, 2008. The meeting aimed to establish parameters of communication between CPA authorities with the view to optimise and strengthen the exchange of information and successfully implement the European Integration Agenda. The creation of the Secretariat of the National Commission for European Integration was announced at the sitting. The Secretariat will advise the directorate for coordinating foreign policies and assistance within the Government Apparatus.

Bilateral Cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Russia

The Moldovan-Russian relations continue to ascend, while the official visit by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to Chisinau on November 14–15 gave a new impetus to these relations. During the visit, which took place in parallel with the participation of the Russian premier in the Summit of CIS Prime Ministers, Vladimir Putin has met Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin and his counterpart Zinaida Grecianii.

Moldovan and Russian prime ministers have signed bilateral cooperation agreements including a bilateral economic cooperation programme for 2009–2020, cooperation agreements on information technologies and culture and tourism. At the same time, Inter RAO ES and Moldelectrica Companies have signed, in presence of prime ministers of the two countries, an agreement on functioning of energy blocks at the Cuciurgan Power Plant in a joint regime with the Romanian energy system. This agreement is expected to enhance electricity exports to Romania.

During talks with Mrs. Grecianii, the Russian prime minister approached issues related to investments in the energy infrastructure of Moldova, gasification of Moldova, facilitation of Moldova’s commodity trade in Russia and ways to extend it, etc. Although Mr. Putin highlighted positive trends in Moldovan-Russian relations, he noted that the economic ties between the two countries need a more diversified and modern structure.

The first step to set up this structure was the opening of the Russian commercial representation in Moldova on November 14, 2008, with the participation of co-chairpersons of the Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation, Moldovan First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Dodon, Minister of Economy and Trade, and Russian Minister of Education Andrei Fursenko.

The opening of the Russian commercial representation in Chisinau was preceded by the 10^th sitting of the Moldovan-Russian commission for economic cooperation in Moscow on November 7, 2008. The sides have signed a protocol which approaches the following matters:

Moldova’s initiative to open the second customs station for the exportation of Moldovan agricultural products (additionally to the existing one-stop-shop);
Moldova’s proposal to Russia to accept Moldovan pork exports;
The possibility to raise the number of motor cargo carriage permits for 2009 by Russia;
The situation related to debts of Moldovagaz towards Gazprom and ways to restructure the debts for natural gas by transferring the debt of Transnistria from the balance of Moldovagaz to the balance of the Transnistrian administration;
Moldova’s initiative to raise the tariff for the supply of Russian gas to Balkan states via Moldova.

Note by ADEPT. There are more and more allegations that the acting communist governance animates the current Moldova-Russia friendship, hoping this way to get Russia’s support at the forthcoming elections.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

ECHR Decisions

The European Court of Human Rights has pronounced decisions in the following cases in the period concerned: Tudor-Comert vs. Moldova, Panzari vs. Moldova, Boboc vs. Moldova, Malai vs. Moldova and Russu vs. Moldova. The Court sentenced Moldova in all these cases for having violated the right to a fair trial, effective recourse, for not banning the torture and not motivating the detention. Overall, Moldova will have to pay up to 12,000 Euros in pecuniary damages and 3,775 Euros in costs and expenses.

Republic of Moldova — CIS

On November 14, 2008 Chisinau hosted the summit of the Council of CIS Heads of Government. Georgia did not attend the meeting, as it has quitted the CIS after the August 2008 conflict, and Uzbekistan was represented by a deputy premier. The working agenda of the summit contained 35 draft documents, of which 34 were approved. The economic development strategy of the CIS until 2020 was the key document signed at the meeting. It presents key directions to develop cooperation with CIS member states in economic, transportation, financial-monetary, energy sectors, etc. The strategy proposes to finish a free exchange zone within CIS by 2020 and to set up premises needed to build a single economic area, etc.

Also, participants in the summit have signed documents on key cooperation directorates for developing the transport, ensuring food security, coordinating migration policies, concerning currency regulation and agriculture, etc.

The summit opened the Moldovan Chairmanship in the Council of CIS Heads of Government; Moldova will chair all CIS structures starting January 1, 2009.

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