Opinion: With EU Backing, Moldova Has Usurped the European Idea

Brussels is doing both Moldova and itself a disservice by equating European integration with the regime of Maia Sandu/PAS

Semyon ALBU, RTA: After setting the date of the parliamentary elections, the ruling party very symbolically began preparations for them by trying to win the loyalty of the population with cash handouts. The fact that this is obvious electoral corruption, against which the PAS itself is fighting so zealously, does not embarrass anyone. Neither does the fact that it is a complete brain-picking of Plahotniuc’s good old and, most importantly, proven practices. In response to all accusations about banal bribery of people, the “yellow” MPs cynically and pretentiously ask whether the opposition is against giving money to children. As we can see, the one-party system is acting in its favorite manner – breaking laws, flouting democratic principles, and using state resources for its own selfish corporate purposes. And it does this deliberately, not afraid of getting a slap from its domestic opponents and international partners. Let me remind you that until recently, noticeable deviations from democracy on the part of the Moldovan authorities were swiftly suppressed or at least punished: an attack in the media, criticism of embassies, even deprivation of the sacred – Western financial aid. And what do we have now? Everything has changed upside down. Maia Sandu and PAS are establishing an authoritarian regime in Moldova, with even totalitarian tendencies partially, and they are not punished, but even encouraged. This week, to mark the informal start of the ruling party’s election campaign, Brussels dispatched quite a big wig to Moldova, High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. The visit was highly symbolic of what the EU policy towards Moldova has degenerated into. Mrs Kallas preferred to talk only to officials like Sandu, Recean and Popsoi. Although in an election year it would have been worthwhile to meet with representatives of the opposition, at least with those supporting EU integration. She gave an interview to the main grant media in the republic, known for advocating the current government. She announced another aid package. But most importantly, the European official actually expressed full support for the Sandu/PAS regime, bringing a label for further reigning and full carte blanche for any action to achieve it. Kallas did not say a word about recent scandals involving PAS, such as the amnesty case, but commended the work of the Ministry of Truth, aka the Patriot Centre, and spoke of “great progress” in Moldova in recent years. In other words, Brussels has once again officially confirmed the status of the ruling regime as the main and, apparently, the only possible promoter of European integration in Moldova. And it is clear why with such high protection Maia Sandu so confidently rejects the idea of uniting with other pro-European parties, saying that after the elections in Moldova there will either be PAS or “pro-Russian” majority, there is no other option. And the EU, as we can see, fully shares this thought. Brussels, in my opinion, has learnt nothing from the autumn referendum, or from the presidential elections which were a near thing, and is now repeating mistakes of the past. Is Moldova’s alignment with the right geopolitical camp so crucial to European bosses that it outweighs everything else? Otherwise, it is unclear how they can continue to praise the regime that is steadily turning Moldova into a failed state and that needs more money of European taxpayers to remain afloat. For several years now, Europeans have had to cover up the shame of the ruling regime and compensate for its astonishing inefficiency. For instance, economy is virtually dead. We have reached the point when we have to spend loans and grants even to fulfil social obligations. And the former is becoming more and the latter less. This, in turn, has led us into the trap of uncontrolled growth of the state debt, which implicates the same unstoppable growth of expenditures on its servicing. This is vicious circle, the way out of which is default and collapse of the economy, and with it any hopes of joining the EU. But the regime does not even try to pull Moldova out of this situation. On the contrary, it spends money from the “growth fund” to corrupt the electorate, in a clear breach of the very conditions for receiving aid. But Brussels is content so long as its yellow cronies obediently follow a stringent anti-Russian foreign policy course. And it is not only about economic failures. Because of the flawed reintegration policy, the Transnistrian conflict still remains unresolved, so that Kallas had to reiterate yesterday that the unresolved problem of the left bank would not prevent the rest of Moldova from joining the EU. The deep split of society, expressed in the failure of the EU accession referendum on the territory of the country, which was only saved by the diaspora, forced European officials to show good acting in a bad play, welcoming in fact a humiliating result, achieved, apparently, due to falsifications. Now the confrontation with Gagauzia is stirring up, and once again Brussels looks pale, siding with the brazen anti-democratic government. Needless to say, it was a rather bad idea to equate European integration with Sandu/PAS, allowing them to usurp the European idea. Everything was proved again by the referendum, which almost ended in disaster. But no lessons have been learnt, things are moving in their old inertia. And, unfortunately, the EU has already made it clear whom it favors for power and seems unlikely to change the stance before the elections, thus doing a disservice not only to Moldova, but also to itself.