Moldova's accession to NATO likely to change security situation cardinally - defence minister

Chisinau, 22 August /MOLDPRES/- Interview with Defence Minister Anatol Salaru

[MOLDPRES]: What is the direct impact of NATO summit in Warsaw to Moldova?

[Salaru]: More security! This summit was extremely important for Moldova, as NATO countries expressed their support for independence, territorial integrity and our right to decide by ourselves the foreign policy vector. At the same time, it was reconfirmed the support for Moldova in reforming defence and security sector.

[MOLDPRES]: According to data by public opinion barometer, most citizens (58 per cent) believe that the country security would be ensured best in case of the country’s neutrality. At the same time, if next Sunday a referendum on Moldova’s accession to NATO is held, 61 per cent would vote against. Given these arguments, why do you think the country should give up neutrality and join NATO?

[Salaru]: It is so. The number of those wishing NATO membership does not exceed 20 per cent now. This is due to, firstly, ignorance of what is NATO, as well as propaganda Russia leads in Moldova for a long time and within which NATO is presented as absolute evil. Those seeking NATO membership are in general young people with university education and well structured- political culture. I backed and support Moldova’s accession to NATO, as it is the surest way to turn back the country to the European area, where we were ripped without our will after the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact.

However, we speak about Moldova’s neutrality, but the Russian army is illegally staying in Moldova during 25 years. An absolute condition of neutrality represents the lack of a foreign army in the territory.

[MOLDPRES]: What are the real defense capabilities of Moldovan army and how would they change to an eventual membership in NATO?

[Salaru]: Compared with our neighbors, no doubt, we have lower defense capabilities. Yet, we have capacity to face challenges that may come from the Transnistrian zone or attempts to destabilize using the hybrid war. Moldova’s accession to NATO would change the security situation cardinally. Firstly, we would cover the article No 5 of NATO treaty, seeing that an attack on one member is considered as an attack on all. Then we would get consistent support for reforming and modernizing the army at a very high level. Another advantage represents that a possible accession to NATO would significantly speed up the EU accession. For the time being, we are far from talking about accession to NATO. This should be decided by citizens within a referendum or by parliament if there is a sufficient number of votes, favorable to such a demarche.

[MOLDPRES]: More terrorist attacks occurred in the EU countries in the last year. How secure is Moldova, if we consider a wider context, European one?

[Salaru]: International terrorism is a major threat to everyone and cannot be approached/counteracted singularly. Due to the high mobility of terrorists, transnational networks, fight against terrorism need sustained cooperation at state level, especially, among information services. Moldova has been protected from this scourge so far, but we must be vigilant. The problem of terrorism is not the attribute of the Defence Ministry, as far as I know our country is not a target for terrorist groups. In the worst case, it can be used as a transit area. Thus, at Moldova’s level, the Information and Security Service keeps under control this phenomenon quite well.

[MOLDPRES]: What would be the Defence Ministry’s performance and arrears against major tasks? In what sections you feel the need for a greater effort, reported to budget figures of the institution headed by you?

[Salaru]: I would not want to talk about performance for the time being, as it is not time of balance or complacency. I hope when concluding the mandate I could say that military system reform from strategies to professionalization was successful. A failure or better said a goal still unfulfilled, but under development, represents the social package for soldiers. Presently, because of low budget, the activity within the Armed Forces is not attractive. Servicemen wages are the lowest in the security and public order system. I hope along with the government to relaunch the social package, to build new flats for servicemen and to succeed wage increase for employees.

[MOLDPRES]: The Socialists have earlier said that more anti -aircraft missile complex from Danceni and Bacioi were taken out during the night (video evidence showed), should have been transported to the Marculesti airport in order to be sold later for 660,000 dollars. How can you comment on these accusations?

[Salaru]: Firstly, the famous missiles were morally and technically outdated fully since 2001 when, according to a parliament decision, it was ordered to sell them. The procedure was transparent, but accusations likely we organized dubious tenders published in the Official Journal represent contradictions. Those missiles could no longer be used for a long time. Their repair requires investment of almost entire budget of defence. Moreover, they have not left Moldova, because other state institutions should rule on this topic. Otherwise when we made these demarches, when we transferred missiles to Marculesti, we had legal advice from CAN. As regards transporting during the night, all those who made military service, know that military transports are carried out during nighttime for several reasons: for protecting transport, not to disrupt traffic and not to induce a state of tension among the people, mainly, taking into account what is happening in our neighborhood.

[MOLDPRES]: Accusations were brought against you such as removing special vehicles, used for receiving and blocking of the signal, started on the polygon from Bulboaca. Blocks of these vehicles are containing precious metals, such as: gold, silver, platinum and palladium, being removed in order to be marketed. How do you comment on this information?

[Salaru]: As in the case of missiles, everything is a blatant lie. Presently, communication and radio intercept of Soviet type is used in the military units of the National Army, which is morally and technically outdated and expired terms of service. Their modernization would have required transportation to Russia, repair in producing plants and transportation back, which would have involved unsustainable spending. At the same time, in November 2015, we received a batch of radio interception equipment from foreign partners. It is digital, modern, portable and small. Compared to the Soviet equipment, it has a wider spectrum of technical capabilities, it does not require permanent connection to electricity network. In consequence, it was ordered quashing equipment and materials in line with legal provisions in force.

[MOLDPRES]: What would you like to say to your critics stating that the Defence Ministry exceeds its duties and operates contrary to the Constitution (the country’s neutral status)?

[Salaru]: Firstly, I have never violated the Constitution. Those who accuse me of something like this, either have bad intention, or do not understand what means a state security. Opinions about accession to NATO I have expressed before being Defence Minister, this stance is shared by the Liberal Party, I am part of. People can freely see what is a country belonging to NATO and EU. Although, I do not think that citizens realize what would mean applying proposal for federalization of the country, which can be considered as an anti-constitutional action, violating even the first paragraph of the Constitution, which reads that Moldova is a unitary and indivisible state.

[MOLDPRES]: In 2016, we mark 25 years of independence of Moldova. How are the preparations for the celebration?

[Salaru]: The preparations for Independence Day go well and we hope the programme set by the Defence Ministry will be a pleasant surprise for our citizens. This year we will have important guests from abroad, and military parade will be, we hope, a special event for countrymen.

Thanks for interview.

(Reporter A. Plitoc, editor L. Alcază)