Moldovan president says Russia wants to revive plan on Moldova's federalisation

President Nicolae Timofti has given an interview with Ukrinform Ukrainian state news agency.

You may find it below:

[Ukrinform]: After Russia started aggression against Ukraine, you said that you are willing to sign the document on Moldova’s accession to NATO, despite the criticism by Moldovan political opponents, as well as of the constitutional provisions on statute of neutrality of Moldova. Do you keep your opinion?

[Timofti]: In my activity as head of state, I guide myself by the provisions of the Constitution. The country’s supreme law, adopted in 1994, stipulates that Moldova is a neutral state, which does not conclude alliances and military pacts, and does not admit deployment of military troops of other states on its territory.

I believe that, when adopting the Constitution, the authors of the supreme law and its votes made a mistake by introducing this provision of neutrality, in conditions when, at that time, a part of Moldova’s territory was also occupied by foreign military forces.

The evolutions in the region showed us that this approach should be revised. I consider that the Constitution has to be adjusted to realities of an always changing world, and I talked about this in the Moldovan parliament too.

The presence of the 14th Russian Army on Moldova’s territory, in the Transnistrian region, despite the will of Moldovan constitutional authorities, represents a flagrant violation of the neutrality statute, stipulated in the Moldovan Constitution.

We should also take into account the example of the Baltic States, former Soviet republics, which after joining NATO, are in security now, benefiting from the provisions of the article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which stipulates the collective defence in case of an armed attack.

At present, there are huge risks to Moldova’s security and our chance is to get closer and cooperate with NATO.

[Ukrinform]: Together with other European states' heads, you participated in the March of Dignity in Kiev. What is your opinion about Ukraine at the first anniversary of the change of the political regime and appearance of Maidan?

[Timofti]: Moldova and Ukraine are neighbouring countries having a close friendship relationship. In both states, during free elections, electors voted for European integration by the vote provided to political parties. Our nations share the same democratic values.

There is a proverb - „A friend in need is a friend indeed”. I wanted by all means to participate in the March of Dignity in Kiev, to commemorate the victims of the Maidan events, which changed Ukraine, but, at the same time, to voice solidarity with the Ukrainian nation in its fight to defend the country’s integrity and sovereignty.

The democratic transformations in Ukraine represent a model to be followed by us too and Ukraine’s success on this path is in Moldova’s national interest.

[Ukrinform]: Moldova is the first state of the former soviet republics to feel the tragic consequences of the 1992 war of Transnistria, with Russia’s direct participation. Which are the main obstacles to the final settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and the country's reintegration? Do you deem as realistic the scenario of withdrawal of Russian troops and armament from the Transnistrian region and replacement of Russian peacekeeping troops by a civil mission under OSCE mandate?

[Timofti]: The politics of constitutional authorities on solving the Transnistrian conflict stipulates exclusively political means. Moldova’s reintegration is the strategic priority of the Moldovan authorities. A viable solution must be based on observing sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova.

We are open for a reasonable compromise to provide a special status to the region within Moldova, which would offer people of the left bank of Dniester a comfortable and guaranteed level of self-government in different areas of public life. A law in this respect was adopted by the parliament in 2005.

The final settlement of the Transnistrian conflict and reintegration of Moldova also involves withdrawal of Russian servicemen, weapons and ammunition from Moldova’s territory, according to the documents signed by Russia at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul in 1999 and the one in Porto in 2002. Yet, Russia does not observe these commitments.

Moldova’s authorities speak out for replacing the Russian peacekeeping forces from the security zone by a civil mission under international mandate.

Unfortunately, Moscow backs politically, by military means and financially the separatist Transnistrian regime. At the same time, by creating a tension hotbed in this region of Europe, they intend to block Moldova’s European integration process. All these actions torpedo the Transnistrian conflict settlement.

The present five-plus-two regulatory mechanism, with involvement of international actors, over the past years, has proved to be inefficient. I believe that it is opportune to think about the possibility to optimise negotiations.

Ukraine continues to be a very important actor in this process. The dialogue on political settlement of the Transnistrian conflict has to be made more dynamic and we count, in this respect, on both Ukraine’s support and the one of western partners.

[Ukrinform]: The expression „Transnistrisation of Ukraine” is often used. Which would be the chances of such a scenario to be successful and how can it be avoided? Which would be the solution to counteract separatism and which is the role of international partners in this process?

[Timofti]: As I have said before, we passed through this tragic experience and the lessons learnt are obvious. One may certainly say that frozen conflicts did not bring prosperity to citizens who live on this territory. For example, at present, the Transnistrian region passes through a serious economic and social crisis following the illegalities and isolation it had to face.

The international community fully involves in defusing the conflict in eastern Ukraine and I believe that this approach should be maintained and developed. In our point of view, the Ukrainian conflict also represents a problem for Moldova and certainly for the entire Europe. The order set on the old continent after the World War II is a value for all European citizens who value it, and nobody in Europe does not want a re-demarcation of borders.

[Ukrinform]: After the hostilities in Donbass started, some Moldovan parties speak out for leaving the Community of Independent States (CIS), in situation when Russia, one of the organisation's members, started a clear aggression against the neighbouring Ukraine. May CIS be considered as a union of states based on friendship ties?

[Timofti]: Since the beginning of my mandate, three years ago, I spoke out for Moldova’s integration into the European Union. Despite the unfavourable regional context, Moldova managed to advance on this path and signed .together with Ukraine and Georgia, the Association Agreement with EU. The Free Trade Agreement, which provides the Moldovan producers access to the EU market, is an integrant part of this treaty.

The Moldovan authorities believe that the signing of the Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and EU will not damage the ties with CIS states. On the contrary, these two economic spaces are complementary.

The Russian authorities were dissatisfied with the rapprochement of those three countries with EU.  Despite the reasons presented during the bilateral consultations, Russia put an embargo and unilaterally introduced customs duties on Moldovan products just before the entry into force of the Moldova-European Union Free Trade Agreement.

No plausible reasons have been presented in favour of these actions so far. Unfortunately, such actions diminish confidence in the validity of agreements signed within CIS. These steps place, de facto, Moldova outside the free trade area with CIS states.

[Ukrinform]: During the Minsk Summit of the heads of states from the CIS member states, you had an emotive discussion with Russian President Vladimir Putin. What did you discuss with the Russian president at that time?

[Timofti]: I told Mr. Vladimir Putin obvious things, from my point of view. Moldova wants civilized relations, based on mutual respect, with Russia, and that the economic relations between our countries unfold in line with the rules of the World Trade Organisation and not be affected by temporary political interests.    

Just as Russia has economic relations with Germany, an EU member country, the ties with Moldova are to be edified in the same way. The means of embargoes is inefficient and cannot force Moldova to give up the way it has chosen.

[Ukrinform]: The new government of Moldova has declared the European integration as strategic priority. The policy of rapprochement with EU is contested both by Russia and by several political forces from the country. How these resistance actions can be overcome, including the economic embargos and energy blackmail?

[Timofti]: Moldova’s authorities initiated policies on the country’s modernisation. This fact is possible only via implementing the standards of the European Union, which have proved their efficiency through ensuring higher living standards for its citizens. There is no alternative to this way. 

The Moldovan electors, through the vote expressed at the last parliamentary polls from November 2014, proved that they back the parties speaking out for the integration into EU. All the parliamentary parties, excepting the Party of Socialists, which has 25 mandates of the 101 ones, support the policy of rapprochement with the European Union. The major priority of the new government, led by Chiril Gaburici, is the country’s integration in the EU space. 

The embargos put by Russia in 2006 and 2013 obliged us to diversify the sales markets. Over the last years, the main sales market for the Moldovan goods was the European Union’s one, and starting from 2006, the latter market has been constantly outstripping the marked of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Thus, in late 2014, over 53 per cent of all exports were directed to EU; Romania, Italy and Germany being the principal importers of Moldovan goods. Presently,  the quota of Russia accounts for only 19 per cent of the exports. 

To avoid the energy blackmail, the only solution is to diversity the energy resources. One of the achievements of the present government is the construction of the Ungheni-Iasi gas pipeline, inaugurated in 2014, that will allow connecting the country’s energy system to the European one. The pipe will have a transport capacity of 1.5 billion cubic metres per year, a volume fully covering the country’s gas needs. The next stage is the construction of this pipeline up to Chisinau. The strategic importance of this project is that we will have possibility to ensure Moldova’s energy security, without depending only on the suppliers from the East.  

[Ukrinform]: Elections have recently taken place in the southern region of Gagauzia. The interference of Russia with the electoral process was obvious…

[Timofti]: The interference of foreign states in the domestic affairs of Moldova cannot be tolerated. As a matter of fact, Russian Ambassador to Moldova Farit Mukhametshin was summoned at the Foreign and European Integration Ministry, where he was warned about the fact that Russia’s involvement in the elections from the Gagauzian Autonomy on the side of a candidate for the office of the region’s governor is unacceptable.   

Moldova observes the European norms for the development and expressing of the ethnic, cultural and linguistic identity of the community of Gagauzians from our country. In 1994, the country’s parliament voted for the creation of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, where the Gagauzians are to enjoy all rights. 

We understand that the quick interest of the Moscow emissaries in the elections from the Gagauzian autonomy pursues other goals, namely re-bringing into discussion of Moldova’s federalization – an initiative of Russia that failed in 2004 by Chisinau rejecting the so-called “Kozak Memorandum.”

In my capacity of head of state and guarantor of the sovereignty, national independence, unity and territorial integrity of the country, I will undertake all the needed actions, so that the Fundamental Law is observed.

(Editor L. Alcaza)