Dorin Mocanu
The oligarchic system of power created by leader of the Democratic Party, Vlad Plahotniuc, prevents the rapprochement between Moldova and the European Union. Bucharest thinks of Plahotniuc as an obstacle to the future integration of the two Romanian states, and Brussels sees him as the main “stopper” of the European integration. On the eve of the parliamentary elections, interests of Romanian politicians and European officials coincided – the right and unionists march against Plahotniuc in a cohesive way.
Triple Alliance
The pre-election coalition of the pro-European opposition forces in Moldova finally took shape. Agreement on the creation of the ACUM bloc was signed on December 16 by the Dignity and Truth (DA) and the Platform for Action and Solidarity (PAS) parties. As the RTA experts predicted, besides the Liberal Democratic Party, the Liberal Party also announced its intention to participate in the parliamentary elections according to the lists of the bloc. Thus, the alliance of right-wing forces was supplemented by political formations that openly advocated unification with Romania.
Other unionists will also support ACUM. The day before, the leader of the National Unity Party, Anatol Salaru, said that he would provide political support to the opposition pro-Europeans. The party of Salaru will not officially join the bloc, yet will not nominate their candidates in order not to take votes from Maia Sandu, as Salaru said earlier.
As a result, the core of the union, the DA and PAS parties, will add the resources and support of unionists to their 30-35%. According to the latest data, a quarter of the Moldovan population considers themselves as supporters of Moldova’s unification with Romania. It seems that unionist politicians nevertheless decided to follow the advice of their experts, and not to build and concentrate forces. Numerous contradictions between their leaders did not allow to create a single pro-Romanian platform, however, the ACUM bloc was a suitable point of attraction for them. According to most experts, this outcome is a consequence of an external political impulse from Bucharest and Brussels.
Numerous business trips of the DA and PAS leaders to the European Union and their consultations with the European officials leave no doubt who Brussels will bet in the upcoming electoral battle. The indirect support of ACUM by the EU is also noticeable in the criticism of the Moldovan authorities, in the person of the Democratic Party and personally its leader Vlad Plahotniuc.
Alien for everyone
Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase prudently avoid questions about their attitude to Romania, but they have repeatedly said about the need for closer rapprochement with Bucharest. At the same time, the activity of ACUM, especially at the turn of 2018-2019, fits perfectly into the strategic interests of Romania. Flirting with the pro-Romanian electorate, Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase actively use the lite-version of unionism and promote a merger with Romania through EU integration.
It is no coincidence that the Democratic Party is trying to attract supporters of unification with Romania. The Democratic government does not miss the opportunity to report the success of integration projects in the field of infrastructure, communications and culture. However, the current authorities have repeatedly indicated that political unification is premature, and even dangerous, and therefore is not possible in the foreseeable future. It discourages the pro-Romanian electorate and makes it doubt the sincerity of the PDM.
The cautious consideration of the Democrats in the issues of unification with Romania has a clear explanation – they mask the fears of the ruling group to lose influence in Moldova after the unification of the two countries. The business interests of Vlad Plahotniuc and his allies actually determine the country’s policy, and in the case of a hypothetical unification, the oligarch will find it difficult to implement his economic projects and single-handedly control Moldova. Nothing that government, courts and parliament of Filip – Plahotniuc are doing today will not work in a united country. It is also obvious that the legal system of Moldova will be based on Romanian templates and governed from Bucharest, and not from the PDM office.
Romania itself takes note of Plahotniuc’s ambitions for power and realizes that if he remains in power, no breakthrough will occur in the European and “Romanian” integration of Moldova. The interests of Bucharest and Brussels coincide in that regard, therefore ACUM marches against the Democratic Party in a cohesive way.
The solidity of the bloc of the right and unionists remains the main issue, as well as resources that Plahotniuc will use against them. Some of the current allies of Sandu and Nastase might be well-disguised Plahotniuc’ Trojan Horses, who are lying in wait for a signal. In the end, many of the ACUM participants already had experience of contacts with the political forces of Plahotniuc in the past, and it can be repeated where there is a will and proper incentives. 
