Ukraine, invaded by the Russian troops, and the neighboring Republic of Moldova (an ex-Soviet with a majority Romanian-speaking population) remain on the agenda of European decision-makers.
European and Euro-Atlantic structures, Romania included, will continue to support Ukraine with everything necessary, President Klaus Iohannis said in Brussels. He added that, in the speech delivered at the ongoing European Council meeting, he also mentioned the need to help the Republic of Moldova, a state which, in turn, is affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to President Iohannis, it is vital for the Ukrainians, and for the European Union and NATO states to preserve the unity and solidarity between the two institutions, and for Kyiv to continue to be supported ‘unconditionally, with everything we have’. He also said that it’s clear to everyone that we have to try to do everything to stop Russia, to stop this illegal war. In order to help Ukraine, President Iohannis says, we also need to help them in their European journey, adding that it is extremely important to help those who suffer from this war and need a chance. Romania’s president said he explicitly referred to the Republic of Moldova, which needs Romania’s support to increase its resilience and to become a member of the European Union.
Neighboring both ex-Soviet republics, Romania helped them from the first day of the war started by the Russians, on February 24, 2022. More than 4.5 million Ukrainians fled the invaders through Romania. Without Romania’s support, the energy crisis in the Republic of Moldova could not have been overcome. The most recent polls confirm the massive adherence of the Moldovan citizens to the European path. Almost 60% of the respondents voted for joining the European Union, while only 37% would vote for joining the Eurasian Union, controlled by Russia, show data of a survey quoted by Radio Chisinau.
Joining NATO is supported by 33.4% of the survey participants. The pro-Western president Maia Sandu remains the most popular political figure in the Republic of Moldova, and her party, Action and Solidarity (PAS), would get the most votes in the event of early parliamentary elections. If presidential elections were held next Sunday, almost 38% of the respondents would vote for Maia Sandu. The former pro-Russian president, the socialist Igor Dodon, would be voted by only 14.2% of the voters, and the current mayor of the capital, Chisinau, the ex-socialist Ion Ceban, would get 6.2% of the votes. The criminal fugitive Ilan Şor, who is in Israel, being considered the main vector of Moscow’s interests in the Republic of Moldova, would get 2.5 % of the votes. About 43.5% of the respondents said that they do not trust any political figure. In the case of the parliamentary elections, PAS would obtain 44.3% of the votes, the pro-Moscow Bloc of Socialists and Communists 21.5%, and the recently dissolved populist party of Ilan Şor – 13.6%.
(Bogdan Matei, Radio Romania International)
