Expert: It Is Still Too Early Discussing about Moldovan Foreign Policy "Resuscitation"

Vladimir ROTAR Maia Sandu’s victory in the presidential elections caused a positive reaction from neighboring states and an almost enthusiastic reaction in the European Union; it is still far from converting it into real benefits for Moldova, anyway. The elected President of Moldova is slowly assimilating into the new position and outlining plans for the near future. At yesterday's briefing, Maia Sandu announced three priorities she will focus on in the first phase. This is a "positive foreign policy" to bring the country out of international isolation; ensuring sufficient resources in the budget planned for 2021; and taking decisive action to combat corruption. Given the impossibility to implement the points 2 and 3 without close cooperation with the parliament, government and other authorities, it is logical to assume that the main front for efforts application is to be namely the foreign policy, where local victories can be achieved relatively quickly. It is notable that here Maia Sandu has already recorded intermediate success: “In two weeks I brought my foreign policy out of the coma, so that Moldova could be adequately represented at the international level, I began restoring relations with Romania and Ukraine”. Such a clearly premature assessment of the elected president gates one disappointed when revealing her desire to walk into the same water as her predecessor did - namely, to make loud and dangerous statements for personal image. There are formal grounds, of course: Sandu's victory caused Western partners’ almost enthusiastic reaction, who over the past weeks sent her a lot of pathetic compliments and words of support, apparently causing some "dizziness with success." “Citizens have chosen to continue the European and democratic path, the path of progress! Romania will be next to Moldova in real efforts to modernize, democratize and move closer to the EU,” Romanian President Klaus Iohannis wrote, later stating that Bucharest was looking for solutions for a new support package for our republic. “I congratulate Maia Sandu on her victory in presidential elections in Moldova. I look forward to further strengthening relations between Ukraine and Moldova for the European future of our peoples,”- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky. “Your victory is a clear call to fight corruption and restore respect for the rule of law. This is the path to future prosperity. ”- President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. “Your election victory is a clear reflection of people's hopes for a better life without corruption, based on democratic norms that everyone adheres to,” - EU diplomat Josep Borrell. “Maia Sandu’s victory in the presidential elections is what both Moldovans and people living beyond the Prut want. This is the choice of Moldova without corruption, without thieves, protected by law and politicians, without deceit and incompetence,” Dragos Tudorache, rapporteur of the European Parliament for Moldova. “The Republic of Moldova is accelerating its European path. It will bring development to citizens. Maya Sandu is known and appreciated throughout Europe. This will bring specific benefits to the citizens of the republic”, - Romanian MEP Siegfried Muresan. In addition, the leaders of many European Union member states, including Germany and France, sent complementary congratulations with good wishes to Maia Sandu. Perhaps, for a long time no one in Moldova received so many flattering words from the institutions of the European Union. But can, in fact, Sandu's personal achievement be called "coming out of a coma" for the republic's foreign policy? The international component played, perhaps the key role in her election program. There were also outlined quite specific expectations from the implementation of the foreign policy course. First of all, of course, we are talking about the large-scale attraction of foreign financing in the form of various loans and credit programs, which should allow to “restart” the Moldovan economy and carry out the necessary structural reforms. The hopes of receiving solid monetary support from the West were not at all unfounded. As well known, it was during the short Maia Sandu’s premiership that EU macro-financial assistance was unblocked. On the other hand, it had real leverage to carry out the reforms demanded by Brussels then, and the money was given more as an advance than a reward for the results achieved. It is well known what the story ended with - Sandu dismissed and the European aid got its next suspension. Since the start of Moldova's “accelerated” European integration in 2009, Brussels has already filled many such bigwigs, selflessly pouring money into its proteges. All this led to the fact that the EU gradually began to change its approaches, reformatting its assistance towards direct financing of projects at the regional level, bypassing the central kleptocratic authorities. The EU protégé’s victory in Moldova, where the “pro-Russian” president was acting for four years, is a rather powerful positive factor that might bring to giving up principles for a while and reopening the money tap for Chisinau. But for how long? It is unlikely without reforms. Moreover, the Union has many problems of its own, ranging from the pandemic to Brexit, which will obviously dampen the "charitable" fervor. Therefore, it is not surprise that in almost all congratulations to Sandu, there were wishes (in fact, goals and guidelines for the new president) in strengthening the fight against corruption, ensuring the rule of law and justice, returning the stolen billion and other matters that Moldova has made as much progress over the past years, as nothing. By the way, speaking of Western financial assistance, which Sandu is counting on so much, one should not forget that Moldova has not yet received a new program of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, the project of which was developed during 2020. The program issue, according to the government's assurances, was almost resolved and the first tranche of more than half a billion loan was to be received in September. However, then the Moldovan program suddenly disappeared from the agenda of the September meeting of the IMF Council. The reason for this decision laid in the fact that Moldova once again did not fulfill the conditions set: according to some sources, one of the main problem points was the long-suffering justice reform. Approving a new program of cooperation with the IMF for Moldova is of great importance, since its existence conditions the receipt of financial support from other Western structures as well, including the European Union. At the same time, the prospects here look far from bright, especially in the light of current situation in parliament, which is quite unlikely to be able to pass the necessary bills. Thus, Maia Sandu still has a lot of work to do to convert the EU and other international partners’ sympathy towards her person into real assistance to Moldova: financial, technical, advisory, etc. Therefore, it is too early discussing about republic's foreign policy "coming out of the coma". The process of its "treatment" will be long and laborious, whilst its success will largely depend on the synergy of all branches of government and state institutions – a thing that simply does not exist at the moment.