Moldova: 25 years of independence

Petru Bogatu, editorialist, political analyst

MOLDPRES: After the proclamation of Independence, Moldova could follow three ways of development: independent, unionist or closely dependent on the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (most recently, the Eurasian Union). Should we start from the very beginning, what path would you choose?

Bogatu: After detachment from the former Soviet Union, Moldova had two solutions, one bad and another normal. The first one – to try perpetuation of state independence proclaimed on 27 August 1991. The second one – to opt for reunification with Romania.

The first path was absolutely counterproductive, as it was meant to justify separation from Romania, to rise to the rank of state policy in a slightly revised form by tsarist-Soviet doctrine of Romanophobia Moldovenism. This road led nowhere, condemning society to a devastating war, which blocked its development.

The second path might constitute in an act of justice and historical repair, which would have brought the territory from left bank of the Prut in a natural development way at all levels. Unfortunately, this way was extremely difficult and with few prospects of success. Political commitments Romanian President Ion Iliescu assumed towards Mihail Gorbachov in 1990 not to reclaim Bessarabia inhibit the desire of political establishment from Bucharest to act at international level in order to recover Romanian territories annexed by the Soviet Union, after the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.

All these induced much confusion and uncertainty in Moldova, which founding fathers, through Declaration of Independence, conferred dimension of the second Romanian state, meant to create prerequisites for an imminent reunification with Romania. Sterile attempts to create on the skeleton of Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic a new national entity, other than the Romanian one, resulted in endless geopolitical wanderings and preservation of economic backwardness.

As regards CIS, this alleged community of states was a hoax from the very beginning that hid the maneuvers taken by Moscow for re-sovietising former republics of Soviet Union. Eurasian Union is another bullshit, without any real economic support, which after Russia’s war against Ukraine lost any relevance in general and especially for Moldova.

MOLDPRES: What future do you see for Moldova?

Bogatu: Moldova failed as a state, because the only goal of its independence was breaking away from Soviet Union and political orbit of former metropolis. Attempts to build a new national identity in a territory with Romanian majority population have no meaning, no chance of success.

The only healthy option for Moldova is reunification with Romania. Passing of time only reinforces unionist power even by the force of things.

(Reporter P. Beregoi, editor M. Jantovan)