Opinion: European Union Left Moldova Fighting Epidemic Alone

The steady increase in the number of patients with coronavirus in Moldova show that the authorities have so far failed to control the epidemic. Fortunately, the republic was not left alone: aid came from Russia, deliveries are expected from China and WHO, the IMF is ready to give a loan ... And against this background there’s one natural question arising: where the European Union is? Semion ALBU, RTA: The Moldovan politicians’ life at ease is over. Previously, their biggest problem was the choice of a geopolitical vector to go to the next election with. Now the situation is complicated and we need to work at full capacity: the dangerous virus, unfortunately, is not anymore on the threshold, it has already settled in the main hall with all its strength. The number of infected cases is growing in arithmetic progression and is unlikely to change in the coming weeks. The country's leadership has, of course, developed remarkable activity fighting the new misfortune (what’s more in it: PR or real content?  It will become clear later). The government is developing measures to support people and businesses. The President holds meetings after meetings with foreign partners agreeing on assistance. The Minister of Health constantly broadcasts front-line reports from the fields of fight against epidemic and Moldovan military pathetically drive around on American Humvees in Moldovan settlements. Basically, life goes on and everything is, as they say, kept busy. After all, Moldovan politicians would not be Moldovan if they missed the chance to earn their brush of fame on global pandemic. Moreover, to be honest, everything else is secondary now. What’ s good is that the country was not left alone in the fight against infection. The first batch of aid has already arrived from Russia, tests for coronavirus included. China is ready to provide the necessary equipment and medicines and according to the president, substantial financial support as well. One talks of technical assistance the World Health Organization is to provide and along with the IMF has agreed to provide a loan of $ 100 million. Meaning, there is a clear understanding in the world that Moldova needs help. But the European Union is sharply knocked out of this harmonious series. Since the beginning of the epidemiological crisis in our country, the head of the EU mission Peter Michalko has naturally fallen out of the media space. There are no initiatives to offer help or even banal words of support. The only time Michalko “got out of the bunker” and recalled his existence was the case with the fake letter to Maia Sandu. That is, only to protect their pro-European chicks, as it turns out the emissary of Brussels has no more tasks within such a difficult time. This is frankly surprising. Eurointegration has been the alpha and omega of Moldova’s entire political life since 2009. A huge amount of money got poured into the country and everyone knows it was spent extremely inefficiently - mainly on “reforms”. In fact, there were no transformations and the money settled in the unscrupulous officials’ pockets: both Moldovan and European as it seems. A completely different time occurred at the moment. Moldova really needs help. This is not a crisis that we can handle on our own. The management quality in our country (as you know) is hardly at a high ebb. No matter how hard the Moldovan officials try, the disease curve confidently tends to rise. Just yesterday 24 cases plus. And it so happened that for more than a decade a simple thought was driven into the heads of Moldovans: they support us in the EU, this is our main guideline, there is order, prosperity and justice. And if trouble occurs - Brussels will not leave us. The pandemic brutally crushes this myth. There is no order - everyone closes the borders and fights their own way. To put it mildly the lack of justice is also present: distressed Italy receives help from Russia and not from its colleagues in the union. The latest, on the contrary shamefully requisite the goods intended for Italy. Every man for himself, that is the principle prevailing in the European Union when things took a serious turn. By the way, something similar happened during the influx of migrants. But this time, the problem is much worse and all the unsightly features can be seen even more clearly. The concept of the EU as a capable, holistic structure just before our eyes is once again falling at the seams. Therefore, one should not be surprised that the European Union has withdrawn the help meant for Moldova while its representative has taken the “vow of silence”. Looks like he simply has nothing to say. These conditions particularly affected the Moldovan right-wingers from ACUM. At first, they went hard times when their criminal negligence implicated in the Hincesti district by-elections. Nowadays, this district is the second disease site in the country after the capital - and the pro-Europeans are as guilty of this as the ruling power. It is only that the sins of the same Dodon and the socialists are to easily be forgotten against the backdrop of their confrontation with the pandemic. It is enough for the president to follow the Vladimir Putin’s example and visit a hospital with infected people or, at least, regularly go under the camera to headquarters fighting the infection aiming at smoothing out the negative effect. Meanwhile, the right-wingers have no such opportunities. Therefore, after the catastrophic, in all senses, failure in Hincesti they are neither to be seen nor heard. The bloc’s leaders went into voluntary isolation and just like Miсhalko completely disappeared from the Moldovan media’s radars. Nobody needs European integration now and apart from the bright slogans in ACUM's stores there is apparently nothing more left. It remains only to sit in a standby mode waiting for further instructions. Just like robots that haven’t been updated with a new software. The current leadership of the country: Dodon, Chicu and members of the government they are really trying to do something, no matter how hard they are criticized. Unlike the right-wingers and especially their European curators who left Moldova alone fighting coronavirus. And one does not need to think that this will be left without attention or consequences. Do not play with People’s memory. It is a pity all this since European integration in its essence could have brought benefit to our republic. But at first, it was discredited when providing patronage to corruption and criminal regimes and now it demonstrates careless and the worst possible thing which is detached attitude at the time when help is needed most.