Foreign Policy Association together with Friedrich- Ebert-Stiftung offer you a newsletter on foreign policy and European integration issues of the Republic of Moldova. The newsletter is part of the “Foreign Policy Dialogue” joint project. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN JUNE 2018 NR.4 (146) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Sorina Ştefârţă, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Ambassador Thomas Buchsbaum, Special Representative for the Eastern Partnership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria:“The EU that protects”, this is our motto for the next half year 2. Igor Munteanu, Executive director, IDIS “Viitorul”. Editorial: Who do the bells of justice in the Republic of Moldova ring out for? 3. Nicu Popescu, senior researcher at the Institute of the European Union for Security Studies:”Corruption is rapidly becoming a major security issue” 4. Opinion of Parties: Security challenges of the country- what they are and how they should be tackled News in Brief On June 22, 2018, the UN General Assembly Security of the Republic of Moldova: approved the draft resolution on “Complete and unconditional withdrawal of foreign military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova”. The document, which de facto aims to withdraw the Russian troops from the Transnistrian region, concrete challenges, theoretical solutions? was supported by a majority of 64 votes. 15 states voted against, including Belarus and Armenia, but also Syria, while 83 states abstained. Canada, Sorina Ștefârță Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, and the United Kingdom were among the co-authors. Russia has vehemently June 2018 proved to be hot opposed, insisting even on the withdrawal of the resolution from the agenda, but its proposal was for the Republic of Moldova in not backed by the UN member states. In a speech both senses of the word. The at the United Nations, the Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Tudor heat passed into torrential Ulianovschi, said the resolution is centered on the rain that destroyed hundreds Operational Group of Russian Forces which are still stationing illegally on the territory of the Republic of hectares of agricultural of Moldova, not on the peacekeeping mission. crops. As to the political heat, The new Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova it seems not to have still to Washington, Cristina Balan, presented on 23 reached its peak. June the letters of accreditation to the President of the United States, Donald Trump. During the official ceremony at the White House, Cristina Chisinau is again gripped Balan mentioned the importance of the Moldova- US Strategic Dialogue for the relations between the by protests. Chisinau is two states, as well as the US support for regional becoming again a story, stability and security. President Donald Trump welcomed the friendly relations between the one less successful this the elections, called on the in their independence and, Republic of Moldova and the United States, and time. On the contrary, it is citizens in a Facebook live to therefore, in the impartiality reiterated the US willingness to continue to provide our country with assistance in implementing as if it was brought out of vote. of justice. And not just in the reforms aimed at European integration and the Grimm brothers’ grim terms of number of views. settlement of the Transnistrian conflict. The following day, the White House announced about pages ... And we are being The fact that the internet What does the above- the appointment of a new Ambassador to Chisinau. bombed with «worries and can influence our electoral mentioned story have in It’s about Derek J. Hogan, a career diplomat with more than 20 years of experience. Since 2017 he concerns» from the highest option has already become common with the current has been Deputy Executive Secretary of the State level - both in Brussels and an evidence. The fact that the edition of the newsletter? Department, an expert for Eastern Europe. Hogan speaks Russian and Spanish. Washington. And we are Internet can tilt the scales for People’s mistrust that in reminded, as diplomatically entire nations has not been courts- whatever they may be- The EU is examining the increase in export quotas for the Moldovan economic operators, said the as possible, about the fact proven yet by the United justice is done in accordance European Trade Commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, that democracy is sacred and States, neither France nor with the law, not with the at a meeting with Tudor Ulianovschi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. In this that the elections are the Britain, although in all these thickness of the wallet of one context, Cecilia Malmstrom stressed the need to ultimate manifestation of countries there is, as the of the parties, or with the align the national trade legislation amendments to the requirements and principles of the world trade this value. This is as a result lawyers say, «a reasonable instructions received from system as laid down by the WTO, thereby reinforcing of the invalidation of the suspicion» in the given sense. the highest party bureaus, is trade liberalization and implementing the best performing food security policies. The officials have mayoral elections in Chisinau. It is true that in Moldova a major insecurity component addressed also the issue of sanitary and phyto- Because of the Facebook-that there is also a «reasonable faced by a state. On these sanitary reform, and the issuance of SPS certificates rd to the economic agents intending to expand their is, because on June 3 , during suspicion», but in our case and other security challenges exports to the EU countries. Mr Tudor Ulianovschi the second round of elections, it refers to the magistrates. faced by the Republic of also advocated for the increase in export quotas on the EU market of certain agricultural products, the candidate of the «Dignity For a simple reason- the total Moldova, we are inviting you namely apples, grapes and various animal products. and Truth» Platform, who won lack of confidence of people to read further. At the end, Cecilia Malmstrom invited the Republic of Moldova to participate in October, in Brussels, Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 4 (146), June 2018 together with Georgia and Ukraine, at the meeting 64, Sciusev str. MD-2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Tel-Fax: +373 22 21 09 86 of the Free Trade Area. Website: www.ape.md E-mail: [email protected] JUNE 2018 2 Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates “The EU that protects”, this is our motto for the next half year Ambassador Thomas Buchsbaum, Special Representative for the Eastern Partnership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Austria n the 1st of July Austria will take moods, de-politicisation of issues and Oover the rotating Presidency of institutions as well as lacking financial the European Union for the next half interests or influence can help. year. In the context of preparations for this mandate, HE Thomas Buchsbaum, Last year, as the country holding the Special Representative for the Eastern OSCE chairmanship, Austria contributed Partnership of the Austrian Ministry of to boosting the dialogue between the Foreign Affairs paid a visit to Chisinau two banks of the Nistru. How do you at the end of May. The visit included assess the subsequent developments in meetings and discussions with the the Transnistrian settlement process - representatives of the Government and developments criticized by a large part of Parliament, as well as with the civil the civil society? society, including think tanks. Read the following interview to find out about Late last year we witnessed a real the conclusions of the visit to Chisinau breakthrough in the settlement talks – and say that the Republic of Moldova is now it is time to fully implement what has of the Austrian diplomat and about his making considerable progress on the been agreed as well as to agree on the country’s approach to our region in the Europeanization path, as well as with the administrative details of the remaining near future. political opposition and civil society who items. So far this year we have observed are more sceptical about the depth of a positive and constructive approach as Your Excellency, what was the key reforms. Who was more convincing? regards implementation. Austria supports message you sent to your colleagues in the constructive spirit of the Sides and is the Foreign Ministry in Vienna about the The reform process in Moldova is – as confident that the OSCE is able to maintain processes in the Republic of Moldova? the EaP itself - “a glass neither empty nor and take forward the positive momentum full”. What is important is to build upon created with the result-oriented approach I heard very varied political opinions successes – which certainly are visible in under the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship on foreign policy as well as on the the country, including at the people’s level in 2017 and the German Chairmanship development of democracy and human (e.g. visa-free travel to EU, ERASMUS+, in 2016, which indeed initially was rights. All my interlocutors were of the etc.), to correct failures, and – like during a met with reservations by some civil opinion that there is still way to go on the marathon – to keep the motivation. Here, society organisations in Chisinau. To my path of reforms. The government and the maybe, more should be done to make the understanding the agreements found in parliamentary majority are trying their best EaP’s benefits clear to the people - in order November 2017 were largely welcomed by in implementing political, administrative to uphold and increase the positive views most stakeholders on both sides. and economic reforms. But implementation of the EU.