Moldovan government pleased with EU deal, but concerned about Russia

Moldovan Parliament Building

The political leaders in Moldova are pleased with the deal that they made with the European Union, but have concerns about Russia:

June 30, 2014

Former Soviet republic Moldova’s government is happily embracing a new pact with the European Union. But the celebration is overshadowed by the prospect of Russian retaliation for the move, especially in light of the dangerous lesson of Ukraine.

Moldova’s ambassador to the United States told Voice of America that he expects an Association Agreement with the European Union to be ratified by his parliament almost “immediately.” Diplomatic receptions are planned, even in Washington, to mark the occasion.

But even as diplomats break out the champagne or perhaps increasingly popular Moldovan wine, there are Russian storm clouds on the horizon. Looming over tiny Moldova is the specter of Vladimir Putin’s regime, which threatened Moldova not to sign the agreement.Moldova is clearly vulnerable and not just with military action or incitement by comparative giant Russia, which already has troops in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria.

Further economic retaliation by Russia could also severely damage the poor nation and disrupt its energy supply.

“We are very much aware and worried about the possible reaction,” Moldova’s ambassador to the United States Igor Munteanu said in a lengthy interview on the eve of last Friday’s EU pact signing with Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. “We are not alone in keeping worried about the future. Of course, the entire region is largely affected by the recent decision of the Russian federation to occupy and annex Crimea and make turmoil in eastern Ukraine.”

“I do hope nothing similar will happen, but we are worried,” added the Moldovan ambassador.

The fear is that Putin could decide to make Moldova the next Ukraine. Such a dangerous prospect even registered a continent away in the U.S. Congress. With Ambassador Munteanu and his small staff intensely monitoring Capitol Hill, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Thursday passed a resolution in favor of the EU association pact.

A draft of the House resolution “calls upon the Government of Russia to refrain from economic threats and pressure against Moldova and to cease any and all actions that support separatist movements on the territory of Moldova.”

The U.S. lawmakers said in the resolution Russia should remove troops from the Transdniestria region, noting that action was called for in an OSCE European summit 15 years ago.

The draft House resolution “reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and the inviolability of its borders.”

http://www.voanews.com/content/as-eu-pact-is-celebrated-moldova-keeps-way-eye-on-russia/1947643.html

Moldova is considered to be the poorest country in Europe. Some there want to be part of Russia (like many in the Transdniestria region), while the current political leaders are looking to the European Union.

Here is some of what Moldova’s official website reported about that:

Chisinau, 27 June /MOLDPRES/- The Moldova-EU Association Agreement was signed by Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso in Brussels today.

Attending the event were heads of state and government from the 28 EU member states, who signed the document as well. Before the signing, Herman Van Rompuy said the agreement was a starting point that would strengthen Moldova’s relations with EU.

Jose Manuel Barroso said the document was a solid commitment to back each step of the country in transformation into a democratic and prosperous state, and was the most ambitious project of EU of the recent times.

“European integration will make us stronger”, Iurie Leanca said.

Parliament Speaker Igor Corman has previously said he would propose to ratify the Association Agreement in the parliament next week. The legislative bodies from 28 EU member states are to ratify the accord as well. http://www.moldova.md/en/newslst/1211/1/4370/

If being part of the European Union boosts tourism enough, Moldova’s economy will benefit. But if that does not happen for a while, more might turn towards Russia.

Some are not pleased with the direction of the current government powers:

Moldova’s opposition Communist Party has demanded from the country’s parliament that President Nicolae Timofti step down, Vladimir Voronin, the former president and the Communist leader, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The demand stems from Timofti’s words in support of Moldova’s joining NATO.

“The head of state imposes on Moldova the necessity to join the NATO military bloc in spite of the fact that the country’s neutrality status is enshrined in the constitution,” Voronin said. “We have submitted the demand for the president’s resignation to the parliament.”

The Communist leader said that in one of the interviews the president said that “if his decision were determining, he would back Moldova’s accession to NATO.” According to the president, it would step up the country’s security.

According to opinion polls, only 14% of Moldovans believe that accession to NATO will be the best option for boosting security, while 52% hope that the status of neutrality is better and 12% favour the country’s joining the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) of former Soviet republics.

Regardless the opinion polls, Moldova’s government is building co-operation with NATO on the basis of an individual road map of partnership that envisages Moldovan servicemen’s participation in international peacekeeping operations. http://en.itar-tass.com/world/737633

The Communist party has a lot of influence in Moldova and some have said that it may end up in power later in 2014. We will see. If it does, the Communist party has indicated that it would turn towards Russia and away from Europe.

Religiously, Moldova seems to be more like Russia than much of the rest of Europe. Culturally, Moldova is probably closest to Romania, basically an Eastern Orthodox country religiously, which is also part of Europe.

Notice some of what Moldova’s official website reported as the religious position of the nation:

We were and we are Orthodox christians

At the foundation of Moldovan Country in 1359 its population were orthodox, being christened by the apostle Andrei. So, in the course of many centuries till now they have been living with a deep belief that everything that happened was according to the God’s will…

The church had an impact on the consolidation of our country, – the fact that explains the resistance against the promotion of Catholicism in this zone, as well as the Ottoman Porta expansion. http://www.moldova.md/en/istorie/3365/

The Orthodox should resist unity with the Roman Catholics (see Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics ), but the Roman Catholics really need to try to resist unity with the Eastern Orthodox (see Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox?).

Russia is also Eastern/Greek Orthodox and has tended to resist Catholicism, though its President Vladimir Putin (who is Russian Orthodox) seems to be on very good terms with the Vatican. Cooperation between the Latins (Roman Catholics) and the Greeks/Russians (Eastern Orthodox) is expected and Moldova would be expected to go along with that. But the time will come when Russia, and some others with an Orthodox background, will rebel against Europe (Jeremiah 51:11).

Moldova is a poor European country. It may decide to make a variety of short-term and long-term decisions that its people will one day regret.

Because of its geographic locations, war is likely in the future for those in Moldova (cf. Jeremiah 51:11).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
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