Istratii: We Need to Discuss the Possibility of Joining NATO with the Public

The North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) would offer a security umbrella to the Republic of Moldova, while the subject of joining NATO should be raised in the public. Such is the opinion of PDS deputy Dorian Istratii. The MP said the status of neutrality stipulated in the Constitution does not protect the Republic of Moldova from possible attacks, ipn.md reports. The ruling party deputy Dorian Istratii points out that while the Russian Federation keeps its army and ammunition on the left bank of the Nistru River, and Russian missiles invade our airspace, the Russian Federation does not respect the status of Moldova’s neutrality. “Society needs to understand that neutrality does not protect us; missiles still fly over our airspace. We should have a serious discussion in society about other defense options, such as joining NATO. Sweden, a country that hasn’t had a war since 1814, has now decided to join NATO at the beginning of this war. The Swedes are a nation that has avoided war, but is well aware that a NATO umbrella can protect them. Which is not our case when we have the constitutionally mandated status of neutrality. The country’s sovereignty is already being violated by the Russian Federation, which had to withdraw its armed forces after 1999 when the Istanbul Declaration was signed. We also see the reaction of the Russian Federation to changing the article on the Romanian language. Russia is accustomed to holding the countries of the former Soviet Union captive,” Dorian Istratii said on the Bună Seara program on the public TV channel Moldova 1. The Moldovan Ministry of Defense denied that Moldovan airspace was violated by cruise missiles launched from the Black Sea on Thursday morning.