PREMIER SANDU CRITICIZES PRESIDENT DODON’S SPEECH IN UN

Prime Minister Maya Sandu has subjected President Igor Dodon to strong criticism for his vision of Transnistrian conflict settlement, which he presented in his speech made at the United Nations General Assembly Session in New York last week. Sandu stated during the “Friday with Anatoly Golea” live program cast weekly on the RTR-Moldova television channel that the President “presented his own opinion on the issue, which does not reflect the Moldovan Government’s position”.

“The President had no courage enough to demand a withdrawal of Russian troops from the Republic of Moldova territory. It is very bad that he has not renounced the policy that had been waged heretofore by all the previous leaders of the country, including President Vladimir Voronin [leader of the Moldovan Communist Party]”, stated the Prime Minister.

In her opinion, this has happened because Igor Dodon wants to have very good relations with the Russian Federation.

“I understand this. But he should not forget that he bears responsibility to his people and the State. Yes we need to have good relations with Russia, but we must primarily defend the interests of our country. We need to further demand a removal of the Russian troops from Moldova”, stressed Premier Sandu.

She remarked that in his speech in New York President Dodon touched on the problems from the so-called “big package” for Moldova, which includes a de facto international recognition of Moldova’s neutrality and the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict by means of a consensus to be reached between the great powers.

“We are categorically against this package. Dodon is proposing the “big players” to agree upon a future for our country – in detour of us the people of Moldova. That’s not correct. This question is to be solved by citizens of the country. And we shall never agree to settle the Transnistrian conflict at the expense of giving up our goal of achieving integration into the European Union sooner or later”, stressed Maia Sandu.

The Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) which she chairs has also stated that it disagrees with the inconsistent position of President Dodon concerning the illicit presence of the foreign military in the Moldovan territory.