The Republic of Moldova simply has to wage a multi-vector external policy. Such is the opinion of the Pro-Moldova Association of Historians and Political Scientists, which was expressed at a news conference at Infotag today in the context of the idea put forward by the Association – to organize an all-republican referendum on the general line of the country’s external policy and development.     

Association Chairman Dr. Sergiu Nazaria stated at the news conference that no matter what result such referendum may bring, Moldova will have to maintain good relations with both the East and the West.  

“At our approximation with the European Union, we should not lose our positions in the East. And at moving towards Russia, we should never ignore our relations with the European Union. Such should be the country’s official position. However, what the incumbent government is doing, though never saying this openly, means a rupture of relations with Russia. We stand up exactly against this, not against approximation with the European Union”, said Sergiu Nazaria.  

Moldova’s former Ambassador to Romania Emil Ciobu thinks that the ruling Coalition for Pro-European Governance (CEG) does not want to organize such a referendum because “they are simply afraid of hearing the people’s opinion”.  

“The CEG authorities are maintaining that the referendum in Gagauzia may not have whatever legal force because it reflected the opinion of only 4% population of the Republic of Moldova. In this context, I have a counter-question:  how many percent of the USSR population did Moldova constitute in the early 1990s, when the republic availed itself of the right to independence? In the case with Gagauzia, nobody ever talked of the autonomous region’s independence, but only of the people’s opinion about the country’s further foreign policy”, said the diplomat.       

In his words, the Moldovan prime minister and speaker of parliament haven’t the faintest idea of what happens in southern Moldova, or anywhere in the republic, “for they can’t feel the pulse of the nation”.    

Moldova’s former Ambassador to China Victor Borsevici stated that Gagauzes are a people with a highest culture and a high feeling of dignity, so they must be respected, and their opinion may not be disregarded. 

“I congratulate the Gagauz people for their having used their constitutional right to speak out their opinion at the February 2 referendum”, said Borsevici.   

Sociologist Valentin Domentean thinks it is not very logical to seek EU membership exactly now, when the European Union is coming across so many problems: “Currently is not the happiest moment for integration into the EU. Besides this, before making such an important, historic step, the authorities must ask citizens’ opinion”.       

In his viewpoint, the authorities’ assertions that Moldova’s approximation with the European Union means an open door to a market with 500 million consumers for Moldova-made goods are but an illusion or a premeditated deceit.    

“These are not our good that will rush onto the European market – these are European goods that will inundate Moldova. This will inevitably crush down Moldovan manufacturers, as this has already happened in Romania”, said Domentean.      

The expert is convinced that excessive crediting inevitably leads to the ruining of any national economy, “for an economy develops and strengthens only if supported by the state”.