U.S. INTELLIGENCE CHIEF DOES NOT BELIEVE IN MOLDOVAN RULING COALITION’S DECLARED DESIRE TO REFORM COUNTRY

Even in case of a parliamentary election victory, the ruling coalition in Moldova are not going to implement real, serious reforms in the republic, believes Daniel R. Coats, Director of the U.S. National Intelligence.

Coats pointed out in his Report prepared for hearings in the special committee on intelligence of the U.S. Congress that the American authorities are not expecting whatever real reforms from the Moldovan governing coalition.

The Report author believes that the pro-European governing coalition in Moldova, if only it escapes a defeat in the November 2018 parliamentary election, will be apparently trying to restrict Russia’s influence and preserving a semblance of European reforms, and will be avoiding changes dangerous for preserving the coalition’s power.

In his opinion, the incumbent authorities in Chisinau will, most probably, start implementing the EU-Moldova Association Agreement against the will of President Igor Dodon, who openly expresses pro-Russia outlooks and is supported by Russia.

As for the Transnistria negotiation process, Daniel R. Coats believes that if the negotiations continue, they will hardly go beyond handling some petty questions.