Moldova: 25 years of Independence

Igor Botan, political analyst, executive director of the ADEPT Association for Participatory Democracy

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?

Igor Botan: I would choose the path of independence, because the unification was impossible. We learn from famous analysts from Romania that the country which is the nearest never had a project on Moldova, and Mircea Druc, who participated in presidential elections in Romania, a candidate of unification, got only 3 per cent. At that time, citizens and Romanian state had no interest in Moldova. Another factor would be that the Soviet army units, then Russian army left Chisinau in 1994 and stayed in the Transnistrian region so far. So, it was not possible to make unification, as neither Moldova nor Romania was ready.

MOLDPRES: What future do you see for Moldova?

Igor Botan: I am very skeptical as regards Moldova’s future simply because the citizens are leaving our country, which becomes depopulated and undeveloped. However, I would like Moldova to develop positively, to find economic niche, to have good relations both with EU and countries in the post-Soviet area.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor A. Răileanu)