Foreign Affairs on February 1–14, 2010

European integration

Conclusions by EU Education, Youth and Culture Council

The European Union’s Education, Youth and Culture Council (EYC) held a sitting in Brussels on February 15 and adopted the Council Conclusions concerning the further deepening of the EU-Moldova Dialogue on Human Rights. The Council noted that the objectives of the Human Rights Dialogue with the Republic of Moldova are: 1) to raise human rights issues, including individual cases, in the Republic of Moldova and in the European Union in a more in-depth manner; 2) to enhance dialogue on human rights topics in multilateral fora.

The Human Rights Dialogue should be held at least once a year, with meetings held, in principle, alternately in the Republic of Moldova and in the European Union, it will integrate a civil society component and, on an ad hoc basis, include exchanges with relevant international and regional organisations such as the United Nations, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

New European Commission elected

The European Parliament elected on February 9 a new European Commission by 488 votes to 137, with 72 abstentions. Jose Manuel Barroso will run the Commission for a second mandate. Stefan Fule from the Czech Republic was elected Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy; he welcomed the pro-European orientation of the Moldovan Government while addressing the European Parliament.

EU Strategy for the Danube Region kicks off

On February 2 the European Commission organised the first series of consultation meetings on the development of the EU Strategy for the Danube region. The conference included four workshops on:

Improvement of connectivity and communication systems (inside and outside the Danube region);
Environment, water and risk prevention;
Socio-economic, human and institutional development;
Governance.

The consultation process will continue until June 2010 both online on the European Commission website, and further events planned in Hungary (on February 26), Austria and Slovakia (April), Bulgaria (May), Romania (June). The Commission intends to propose an action plan and a governance system in December 2010.

First sitting of the State Commission for European Integration in 2010

The new State Commission for European Integration convened in the first sittingRO on February 12. It debated the following issue:

The results of actions aimed to promote Moldova’s European integration process in 2009 and priorities for 2010;

The following priorities for 2010 were set: — getting the EU support for the European integration of Moldova, inclusively by deepening the dialogue with Spain, Belgium and Hungary; — starting negotiations to open a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and liberalise the visa requirements; — involving Moldova into the work of the 4 cooperation platforms of the Eastern Partnership; — drafting a plan on harmonisation of Moldovan legislation with the acquis communitaire (under the Twinning Project); — finding possibilities to get financial assistance for Moldova (the meeting of the advising group of donors for Moldova set for March 24).
Opening a dialogue to liberalise the visa requirements, develop the biometrical strategy for Moldova;
Organising the negotiation of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement;
Preparing Moldovan institutions to open the institutional consolidation process with the view to negotiate the Association Agreement.

Bilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Ukraine

Prime Minister Vlad Filat met his Ukrainian counterpart Yulia Timoshenko on February 1 and discussed problematic issues relating to bilateral relations. In particular, Vlad Filat asked the Ukrainian prime minister to definitively remove Moldova from the list of high migration risk countries, whose citizens should provide a confirmation of their financial condition while entering Ukraine (this requirement was temporarily ceased but not cancelled for Moldova). Another issue tackled by the two premiers was the electricity import from Ukraine. The electricity import from Ukraine was ceased on January 1, 2009 in connection with price-related divergences. As well, the sides tackled the Transnistrian problem, welcoming progresses in demarking the common border, which if successfully achieved, would provide new prospects to both countries in negotiating a liberalised visa regime with the EU.

The parties signed two documents during the meeting: the Protocol between the Government of Moldova and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on modifying the Agreement between Moldovan and Ukrainian Governments on mutual recognition of the rights and regulation of property relations from 11 August 1994; the Agreement between the Moldovan Government and the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers on cooperation in the youth policy area.

Republic of Moldova — Russia

The Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation held a sitting in Chisinau during February 4–5, after almost four years. According to a press releaseRO by the Ministry of Economy, the meeting tackled 10 topics relating to key aspects of commercial-economic cooperation, as well as issues relating to cooperation in agro-industrial complex, thermal energy, industry and transport, labour migration and humanitarian area. The results of the meeting are:

Russia confirmed the decision to provide the 150-million-dollar credit to Moldova, but on the basis of infrastructure projects by Moldova;
Experts from both countries will work out a debt restructuring plan for “Moldovagaz” towards Russian companies “Gazprom” and “Factoring-Finance”;
Russia will assist Moldova to attend the 17th International Exhibition “Prodexpo” scheduled for February 8–12, 2010 in Moscow, which will include the Moldovan Wine Days;
Actions will be implemented to facilitate and diversify spirits exports to Russia;
Negotiations aimed to sign the Cooperation Programme between Moldovan and Russian Governments for 2009–2020 will go on.

Multilateral cooperation

Republic of Moldova — Council of Europe

ECHR decisions

The Court pronounced on February 2 the decision on Christian Democratic People’s Party (no. 2) vs. Moldova. The Court indicated violation of the right to assembly (with reference to a January 25, 2004 protest demonstration) and granted 3,000 Euro to PPCD in non-pecuniary damage and 1,000 Euro in costs and expenses.

Visit by Venice Commission delegation

A delegation from the Venice Commission led by Gianni Buquicchio, president of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), was on a working visit to Chisinau on February 10, giving green light to an invitation by interim President Mihai Ghimpu to discuss procedural aspects of the constitutional reform.

During the visit, the European official confirmed the readiness of the Venice Commission to provide Moldovan authorities with the assistance needed to reform/modify the Constitution. After meeting leaders of political parties, the parliamentary commission for parliamentary reform, Gianni Buquicchio stated that the decision to integrally reform the Constitution is headlong and noted that just Article 78 of Constitution on the election of chief of state should be modified now to overcome the institutional crisis. As well, in accordance with constitutional regulations in effect, the Parliament should be dissolved and early elections should be held. Interim President Mihai Ghimpu replied that the Alliance for European Integration is sure that early elections would be inefficient and seeks legal ways to avoid elections.

e-democracy.md