Politics
Stefan Füle: Reforms in Moldova are needed to be handled with care, explained better and conducted in an inclusive manner//INTERVIEW
Reading Time: 4 minutesMoldova.ORG: Mr. Füle, considering the latest developments in Moldova – the dismissal of the Government -, how could this affect the dialogue between Moldova and the European Union? Stefan Füle: Our dialogue with the Republic of Moldova is framed by international agreements and mutual commitments. It is based in particular on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the ENP Action Plan of 2005, which all Moldovan Governments have respected and implemented in close cooperation with the various institutions of the European Union. Therefore, our dialogue in principle is not affected by the dismissal of the Moldovan Government.
EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Füle gave an interview exclusively to Moldova.ORG talking about the progress achieved by Moldova so far, the challenges it currently faces and the prospective joint projects that are due to be undertaken.
Moldova.ORG: Mr. Füle, considering the latest developments in Moldova – the dismissal of the Government -, how could this affect the dialogue between Moldova and the European Union?
Stefan Füle: Our dialogue with the Republic of Moldova is framed by international agreements and mutual commitments. It is based in particular on the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and the ENP Action Plan of 2005, which all Moldovan Governments have respected and implemented in close cooperation with the various institutions of the European Union. Therefore, our dialogue in principle is not affected by the dismissal of the Moldovan Government.
Our activities in the last four weeks show ample evidence of this. For instance, we have been actively cooperating with the Moldovan authorities to assess the state of implementation of the second phase of the visa liberalisation action plan. In a couple of weeks, we will hold in Chisinau our regular Dialogue on Human Rights.
The EU-Moldova Cooperation Council will convene in Luxembourg at the end of June. And we are very much looking forward to Moldova’s active participation in the run-up to the Third Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, in November. To put it in a nutshell, our bilateral agenda remains busy.
Moldova.ORG: How likely is Moldova to sign to Association Agreement with the EU at Vilnius Summit in November given that Moldova just entered a political crisis?
Stefan Füle: Since January 2010, our Association Agreement negotiations have made swift and steady progress, as is recognised in the recently published European Neighbourhood Policy Progress Report. Our aim is to initial the Agreement at Vilnius. With this in mind, we need to finalise the text of the Agreement.
Very good progress in this respect was achieved during the last plenary round of negotiations in Brussels; we are hopeful that the final text will be agreed in the next two-three months. If we manage this, then we should be able to prepare the text for initialling as foreseen. This would seal our joint understanding of the objectives and substance of the Association Agreement and would represent a historic achievement for the citizens of Moldova as well as for the EU citizens as it is an important first step for political association and economic integration between the EU and Moldova.
This would also represent a highlight of the Vilnius Summit. Signing the Agreement assumes additional technical preparations, which will logically take some additional time.
Moldova.ORG: Several voices say that Moldova is leader in the Eastern Partnership. What arguments stand in favour of this statement?
Stefan Füle: Last year, early completion of the first phase of the visa liberalisation Action Plan and dynamic Association Agreement negotiations contributed to the perception of Moldova as a "model case" among Eastern Partnership countries. The latest ENP Progress Report demonstrates that this perception was, by and large, justified. This is by no means an invitation to the country to rest on its laurels.
Moldova’s ambitious reforms have far-reaching social and political implications; they certainly need to be handled with care, to be better explained and conducted in an inclusive manner. Policy continuity is needed for them to reach the desired level of sustainability.
Moldova.ORG: While the Moldovan leadership is trying to bring the country closer to the European Union, more citizens – according to the public surveys – want to join the Russia-led Customs Union. How do you explain this phenomenon?
Stefan Füle: It is crucially important not to stay at the surface of things and to refrain from comparing apples and oranges. Low gas prices are often mentioned as an economic panacea. But many CIS countries enjoy low gas prices – or have enjoyed them until a recent future. Have they really used this opportunity to re-structure their economies, improve their economic positions, and raise their living standards? Having said this, it is true that, if their long-term benefits are far from proven, low gas prices are easy to comprehend.
Structural reforms are, by contrast, abstract and sometimes painful, not the least if they are poorly explained: the meaning of the efforts they require, are not easy to comprehend; but their positive effects, when they come to fruition, are huge and lasting. Structural reforms are meant to modernise society and the economy, make it more efficient, more reactive to global changes, more inclusive and tolerant, more concerned about freedoms, and thereby a safe and solid place for personal fulfilment, human development and productive investments.
What does the intense EU-Moldova dialogue bring to this picture? It has allowed agreeing on a "critical route" towards that objective. To make the journey attractive despite the difficulties stemming from your country’s inheritance, a few milestones have been pin-pointed on this route – I mean joint deliverables that will bring concrete benefits to the citizens, such as the visa-free regime, full access to the EU market and generous financial support by the EU to help Moldovan society bear the costs of reforms. Moldova has managed to achieve quite a lot under these conditions. It is now very close to two key milestones: the completion of the visa liberalisation action plan and the initialling of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.
Moldova.ORG: How efficient does Moldova spend the EU funds?
Stefan Füle: Moldova has one of the highest rates of disbursement of EU assistance based on results, which in our terminology indicates good performance. Budget support operations, which represent 70% of our bilateral assistance and consist in transferring grant money to the Moldovan State budget against the achievement of agreed benchmarks, have achieved excellent results – between 86% and 99.9% depending on the programme.
The highest rate of success was achieved by the operation that we conducted in 2008-2011 to help reform the social assistance system. We are satisfied with the implementation of the programmes that support energy sector reform and rural development projects.
A new football club has earned a leading place in the UEFA Champions League groups and starred in the headlines of worldwide football news yesterday. The Football Club Sheriff Tiraspol claimed a win with the score 2-1 against Real Madrid on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid. That made Sheriff Tiraspol the leader in Group D of the Champions League, including the football club in the groups of the most important European interclub competition for the first time ever.
International media outlets called it a miracle, a shock and a historic event, while strongly emphasizing the origin of the team and the existing political conflict between the two banks of the Dniester. “Football club from a pro-Russian separatist enclave in Moldova pulls off one of the greatest upsets in Champions League history,” claimed the news portals. “Sheriff crushed Real!” they said.
Moldovans made a big fuss out of it on social media, splitting into two groups: those who praised the team and the Republic of Moldova for making history and those who declared that the football club and their merits belong to Transnistria – a problematic breakaway region that claims to be a separate country.
Both groups are right and not right at the same time, as there is a bunch of ethical, political, social and practical matters that need to be considered.
Is it Moldova?
First of all, every Moldovan either from the right or left bank of Dniester (Transnistria) is free to identify himself with this achievement or not to do so, said Vitalie Spranceana, a sociologist, blogger, journalist and urban activist. According to him, boycotting the football club for being a separatist team is wrong.
At the same time, “it’s an illusion to think that territory matters when it comes to football clubs,” Spranceana claimed. “Big teams, the ones included in the Champions League, have long lost their connection both with the countries in which they operate, and with the cities in which they appeared and to which they linked their history. […] In the age of globalized commercial football, teams, including the so-called local ones, are nothing more than global traveling commercial circuses, incidentally linked to cities, but more closely linked to all sorts of dirty, semi-dirty and cleaner cash flows.”
What is more important in this case is the consistency, not so much of citizens, as of politicians from the government who have “no right to celebrate the success of separatism,” as they represent “the national interests, not the personal or collective pleasures of certain segments of the population,” believes the political expert Dionis Cenusa. The victory of FC Sheriff encourages Transnistrian separatism, which receives validation now, he also stated.
“I don’t know how it happens that the “proud Moldovans who chose democracy”, in their enthusiasm for Sheriff Tiraspol’s victory over Real Madrid, forget the need for total and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria!” declared the journalist Vitalie Ciobanu.
Nowadays, FC Sheriff Tiraspol has no other choice than to represent Moldova internationally. For many years, the team used the Moldovan Football Federation in order to be able to participate in championships, including international ones. That is because the region remains unrecognised by the international community. However, the club’s victory is presented as that of Transnistria within the region, without any reference to the Republic of Moldova, its separatist character being applied in this case especially.
Is it a victory?
In fact, FC Sheriff Tiraspol joining the Champions League is a huge image breakthrough for the Transnistrian region, as the journalist Madalin Necsutu claimed. It is the success of the Tiraspol Club oligarchic patrons. From the practical point of view, FC Sheriff Tiraspol is a sports entity that serves its own interests and the interests of its owners, being dependent on the money invested by Tiraspol (but not only) oligarchs.
Here comes the real dilemma: the Transnistrian team, which is generously funded by money received from corruption schemes and money laundering, is waging an unequal fight with the rest of the Moldovan football clubs, the journalist also declared. The Tiraspol team is about to raise 15.6 million euro for reaching the Champions League groups and the amounts increase depending on their future performance. According to Necsutu, these money will go directly on the account of the club, not to the Moldovan Football Federation, creating an even bigger gab between FC Sheriff and other football clubs from Moldova who have much more modest financial possibilities.
“I do not see anything useful for Moldovan football, not a single Moldovan player is part of FC Sheriff Tiraspol. I do not see anything beneficial for the Moldovan Football Federation or any national team.”
Is it only about football?
FC Sheriff Tiraspol, with a total estimated value of 12.8 million euros, is controlled by Victor Gusan and Ilya Kazmala, being part of Sheriff Holding – a company that controls the trade of wholesale, retail food, fuels and medicine by having monopolies on these markets in Transnistria. The holding carries out car trading activities, but also operates in the field of construction and real estate. Gusan’s people also hold all of the main leadership offices in the breakaway region, from Parliament to the Prime Minister’s seat or the Presidency.
The football club is supported by a holding alleged of smuggling, corruption, money laundering and organised crime. Moldovan media outlets published investigations about the signals regarding the Sheriff’s holding involvement in the vote mobilization and remuneration of citizens on the left bank of the Dniester who participated in the snap parliamentary elections this summer and who were eager to vote for the pro-Russian socialist-communist bloc.
Considering the above, there is a great probability that the Republic of Moldova will still be represented by a football club that is not identified as being Moldovan, being funded from obscure money, growing in power and promoting the Transnistrian conflict in the future as well.
Photo: unknown
Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Natalia Gavrilita, together with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nicu Popescu, pay an official visit to Brussels, between September 27-28, being invited by High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell Fontelles.
Today, Prime Minister had a meeting with Charles Michel, President of the European Council. The Moldovan PM thanked the senior European official for the support of the institution in strengthening democratic processes, reforming the judiciary and state institutions, economic recovery and job creation, as well as increasing citizens’ welfare. Natalia Gavrilita expressed her confidence that the current visit laid the foundations for boosting relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, so that, in the next period, it would be possible to advance high-level dialogues on security, justice and energy. Officials also exchanged views on priorities for the Eastern Partnership Summit, to be held in December.
“The EU is open to continue to support the Republic of Moldova and the ambitious reform agenda it proposes. Moldova is an important and priority partner for us,” said Charles Michel.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita also met with Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy, expressing her gratitude for the support received through the OMNIBUS macro-financial assistance program. The two officials discussed the need to advance the recovery of money from bank fraud, to strengthen sustainable mechanisms for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in Moldova, and to standardize the customs and taxes as one of the main conditions for deepening cooperation with the EU in this field.
Additionally, Prime Minister spoke about the importance of the Eastern Partnership and the Deep Free Trade Agreement, noting that the Government’s policies are aimed at developing an economic model aligned with the European economic model, focused on digitalization, energy efficiency and the green economy.
A common press release of the Moldovan Prime Minister with High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles, took place today, where the agenda of Moldova’s reforms and the main priorities to focus on in the coming months were presented: judiciary reform; fighting COVID-19 pandemic; promoting economic recovery and conditions for growth and job creation; strengthening state institutions and resilience of the country.
“I am here to relaunch the dialogue between my country and the European Union. Our partnership is strong, but I believe there is room for even deeper cooperation and stronger political, economic and sectoral ties. I am convinced that this partnership is the key to the prosperity of our country and I hope that we will continue to strengthen cooperation.”
The Moldovan delegation met Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice. Tomorrow, there are scheduled common meetings with Oliver Varhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport and Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy.
Prime Minister will also attend a public event, along with Katarina Mathernova, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.
Photo: gov.md
Politics
Promo-LEX about Maia Sandu’s UN speech: The president must insist on appointing a rapporteur to monitor the situation of human rights in Transnistria
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, pays an official visit to New York, USA, between September 21-22. There, she participates in the work of the United Nations General Assembly. According to a press release of the President’s Office, the official will deliver a speech at the tribune of the United Nations.
In this context, the Promo-LEX Association suggested the president to request the appointment of a special rapporteur in order to monitor the situation of human rights in the Transnistrian region. According to Promo-LEX, the responsibility for human rights violations in the Transnistrian region arises as a result of the Russian Federation’s military, economic and political control over the Tiraspol regime.
“We consider it imperative to insist on the observance of the international commitments assumed by the Russian Federation regarding the withdrawal of the armed forces and ammunition from the territory of the country,” the representatives of Promo-LEX stated. They consider the speech before the UN an opportunity “to demand the observance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the Russian Federation with reference to this territory which is in its full control.”
“It is important to remember about the numerous cases of murder, torture, ill-treatment, forced enlistment in illegal military structures, the application of pseudo-justice in the Transnistrian region, all carried out under the tacit agreement of the Russian Federation. These findings stem from dozens of rulings and decisions issued by the European Court of Human Rights, which found that Russia is responsible for human rights violations in the region.”
The association representatives expressed their hope that the president of the country would give priority to issues related to the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region and would call on relevant international actors to contribute to guaranteeing fundamental human rights and freedoms throughout Moldova.
They asked Maia Sandu to insist on the observance of the obligation to evacuate the ammunition and the military units of the Russian Federation from the territory of the Republic of Moldova, to publicly support the need for the Russian Federation to implement the ECtHR rulings on human rights violations in the Transnistrian region, and to request the appointment of an UN Human Rights Council special rapporteur to monitor the human rights situation in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova.
**
The Promo-LEX Association concluded that 14 out of 25 actions planned within the National Action Plan for the years 2018–2022 concerning respecting human rights in Transnistria were not carried out by the responsible authorities.
The association expressed its concern and mentioned that there are a large number of delays in the planned results. “There is a lack of communication and coordination between the designated institutions, which do not yet have a common vision of interaction for the implementation of the plan.”
Promo-LEX requested the Government of the Republic of Moldova to re-assess the reported activities and to take urgent measures, “which would exclude superficial implementation of future activities and increase the level of accountability of the authorities.”
Photo: peacekeeping.un.org
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