​IGOR DODON MAY SUGGEST SIGNING COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH EAES

President-elect Igor Dodon is not ruling out completely that, when in office, he may stand up with an initiative to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union [of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, EAES].

In his interview with Deutsche Welle, Dodon offered an opinion that such kind of documents can well be signed, and this will in no way be a threat to the realization of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

“But cardinal changes will be possible only after the parliamentary elections [end-2018] when a new majority comes to the legislative forum, and only through holding a nationwide referendum so that citizens could say their opinion on the issue”, stressed the president-elect.

Dodon believes it is necessary to hold tripartite negotiations between Moldova, the European Union and the Russian Federation to decide what should be done to shield the Moldovan economy from European imports that ruin local producers and, on the other hand, how to reduce the risk of re-exportation of goods to Russia if Moscow lifts the current embargo.

In his opinion, Moldova needs to have its own well-thought and clear-cut position, so that when in political battles, the republic should find itself neither on the side of the West against the East, nor on the East’s side against the West.

Speaking of the recently signed memorandum of cooperation with the IMF, economist Igor Dodon said the document “can and should be revised”.

“There are several principal moments, such as for instance the pension system, tariffs, the Agriculture Subsidy Fund. I will be insisting on introducing changes into them. If need be, I will meet with IMF representatives in Chisinau, if necessary – I will go to Washington, but these questions need to be tackled and resolved because Moldova citizens will be not able to carry such a yoke”, stated the former First Deputy Premier and ex-Minister of Economy.

Touching on the Transnistrian problem Dodon opinioned that Kozak Memorandum is no more topical nowadays.

“Ways to reunification of the country should be sought through a political settlement of the conflict. I believe the problem is soluble stage by stage. First, in the course of bilateral negotiations Chisinau and Tiraspol work out mutually acceptable principles of unification. Then, the principles are discussed more in detail in the 5+2 negotiating format. If a consensus is achieved at that stage, then referenda will be held both in Transnistria and in the mainland Moldova”, said Igor Dodon.

The president-elect stressed he stands up for a neutral status of the Republic of Moldova and for the absence of whatever foreign armed forces in the Moldovan territory.

Asked how he thinks it is possible to unite the Moldovan army with Transnistrian armed forces, Dodon replied: “There must be no armed forces at all, either in Moldova or in its Transnistrian region, if we are really a neutral state”.

The president-elect confirmed his intention to fire the incumbent Minister of Defense, prominent Liberal Party member Anatol Salaru, a civilian renowned for his ardent desire to make Moldova a NATO member and a province of Romania.

“Defense minister in a neutral country has no right to drag it into NATO or to make whatever public statements on the topic. For such sayings alone, such minister in a neutral country would be dismissed”, stated Igor Dodon.