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“EUROPEAN UNION IS NOT A MILK-AND-HONEY LAND”
Interview given by Gunther Krichbaum, Chairman of the German Bundestag Committee for EU issues, to Infotag’s special correspondent Svetlana Nezhelscaya.
Q: Mr. Krichbaum, Moldova’s governing Alliance for European Integration is currently in negotiations with Brussels on Moldova’s associated EU membership. How realistic do you think is the signature of this document?
A: Firstly, this is an agreement on partnership and cooperation between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova, which is called the “EU-Moldova Association Agreement”. Through our own fault, we omitted the notion ‘associate membership’ in our negotiations with Ukraine. I was saying from the very beginning that if we recognize this term in negotiations with Ukraine, then we would have to recognize and use it in negotiations with Moldova. As a matter of fact, this is an Agreement on partnership and cooperation-2, which will replace the expiring one, and it should not be confused with the Agreement on stabilization and association [concluded with countries – candidates for admission to the European Union].
Secondly, I am not an advocate of setting concrete timeframes, as there always remains a risk that for various reasons such frames will be hard to meet. This can be seen from the example of Croatia, which has been long dreaming of becoming a EU member: first the admission was scheduled for 2008 – right after Romania and Bulgaria. Now we are in 2010, and are speaking of year 2012.
The EU-Moldova Association Agreement will be signed in case there exists a good will and a tangible progress in the foreseeable future. Personally I can’t say if this will happen at the end of 2010 or later. For me, it is more important to have the document signed.
Q: You have just mentioned “a tangible progress’. But how are you assessing the current socio-political situation in Moldova?
A: Each country is suffering the consequences of a global crisis. In the case of Moldova, this is particularly evident, because the republic does not possess such resources as, for instance, Germany (please understand me correctly), where the government has ventured to acquire a record-breaking debt – 80 billion euros for the sake of stimulating the demand. Moldova has no such possibilities, and this certainly tells on the social situation.
People find it quite hard to maintain themselves every day, so I have systematically spoken out for having the Moldova topic on the Bundestag agenda. We have set up a Germany-Moldova forum, where we, together with other deputies, promote the Republic of Moldova topic, for we understand the republic is risking remaining in the European Union’s shade. We try to prevent this, and hence is the corresponding Bundestag Resolution [in support of Moldova’s European integration].
Q: You have not mentioned the political situation…
A: I should rather be cautious on this topic. Moldova can’t help managing without a constitutional reform because its political complications stem precisely from the fact that the political spheres of plenary powers have been insufficiently clearly defined. Moldova will avoid many political difficulties in the future if it clearly outlines powers in the constitutional law. In my mind, a constitutional reform is inevitable. As for other political questions, currently, i.e. a year after, the situation in Moldova has stabilized to a certain extent, but this stability is still fairly fragile.
Q: Can integration with the European Union facilitate the Transnistrian conflict settlement?
A: Steps towards European integration may promote country stabilization. For example, as regard the scenarios of EU membership for former Yugoslav republics, Slovenia has been already in the European Union, with Croatia approaching. Serbia has submitted an application for membership, and the rest countries are in negotiations. It is my conviction that stability will come back to that region for a long time, if the Balkan states become a part of the European Union.
Q: So far, citizens of Moldova have received very few from the country’s integration movement towards Europe. Could you comment, please?
A: As for visa regime liberalization, I support it completely: people must have the possibility to travel. So, everything depends on how certain specified conditions are met: introduction of biometrical passports, a well-organized work of security structures. One should bear in mind that visa liberalization ensures free traveling throughout the European Union area. And here I should highlight the importance of ensuring control of Moldova’s external borders. In this context, one should mention the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) funded by the European Union.
Q: In Transnistria, the Moldovan authorities are not able to ensure control of situation. Can this circumstance, by any chance, do harm to the republic’s readiness to receive a visa-free travel regime with the European Union?
A: We are again returning to dates and timeframes, which I do not regard as something of a paramount importance, for they distract attention from the essence of things. The problem is not in a calendar date, though of course one can say that a target is set that needs to be achieved within a specified time. The question is in how conditions are fulfilled. For instance, a biometrical passport is quite expensive, but to travel freely within the European Union area, each citizen of Moldova will have to obtain such passport. Indeed there exist certain technical questions that cannot be avoided. So, a political good will is not everything yet, as there exist some important technical things to tackle.
Q: The previous [Communist] authorities stood up for Moldova’s joining the European Union. The current authorities do the same. Can the EU feel any difference between them?
A: I assess everything according to achieved results. I think the current government wants a greater openness to the European Union. Indeed, good intentions alone are insufficient, but definite changes are already obvious.
Q: An early parliamentary election is inevitable in Moldova. Do you think election results can tell on the country’s integration into the European Union?
A: First of all, decision is in Moldova citizens’ hands. As for election results, it’s hard to judge because there is no reliable data of opinion polls. This is one of the difficulties, which Eastern European countries come across because opinion polls there are organized and held by political parties’ order, and their results are not quite objective. Therefore, any sound forecasts are impossible. But I think people in Moldova see their future is in the European Union. This is a common political will and a common objective.
Q: The future in the European Union is viewed as something big and light. But do there exist negative aspects of the membership?
A: You are quite right: one should neither underestimate nor overestimate what the EU membership brings. For example, in the new member states, Romania and Bulgaria, we are currently observing a competition pressure leading to a reduction of jobs. In the EU candidate country of Croatia, shipbuilders are going to lose their jobs because Croatian shipyards are subsidized by the state, and this leads to creation of artificial, inefficient jobs, whereas subsidies in the European Union are forbidden as something that ruins competitive ability. Therefore, one should not confuse the EU membership with a milk-and-honey land, which is certainly not.
Q: Is there anything, except corruption and Transnistria conflict, which impedes the European integration process?
A: Reforms are needed in almost all spheres. Moldova should think of environment protection and other things, which the integration process is divided into. These are nearly 30 chapters that clearly prescribe all the conditions of reforming, and this makes the road to the European Union fairly long. But a big elephant can be eaten only if you cut it into small peaces you are able to swallow.
Concerning the big objective of joining the European family of nations, it is necessary to get closer to European structures, and the question of country development is essential here, and the development will take much time. But a state, within the integration, has the possibility of acquiring considerable parts of Acquis communautaire so as to get prepared to the EU membership.
(Full version of the interview will be published in the July issue of Banking & Finance magazine (Moldova).
