The European integration of Moldova can turn into a process without an end result owing to a number of internal and external developments, considers the executive director of the Foreign Policy Association (APE) Victor Chirila. In a press club meeting at IPN, he said the country urgently needs a new, realistic and ambitious European integration view.
The expert noted that the European integration process was already affected by the stagnation of reforms, endemic corruption and the problems faced in the financial-banking sector, which undermined the confidence enjoyed by Moldova, while its European integration aspirations are no longer taken seriously by the EU.
The APE executive director believes the diplomatic relations between Moldova and the EU member states deteriorated, especially with Germany. But Germany’s support is very important in the process of coming closer to the EU. “These developments are not decisive, but, taken together, they weigh a lot,” he stated.
According to Victor Chirila, a series of external and regional developments endanger the country’s European prospects. The enlargement is no longer a priority for the EU, which needs to take a break in this process. Furthermore, the people of a number of EU member states since 2012 have shown that they do not want the community to enlarge and, even if Moldova comes close to its integration into the EU, the member states will have to ask their citizens and will be unable to ignore their opinion.
Following the crisis of refugees from Syria, faced now by the EU, the problem of enlargement stopped to be discussed. On the contrary, the EU started to strengthen its borders. But the most serious fact is that Russia’s aggression on Ukraine seems to have stopped the EU’s enlargement to the East. This became evident at the EaP Summit of Riga, when the EU avoided offering clear European perspectives to the Eastern Partnership countries, stated Victor Chirila.
He considers that the EU is not ready to cope with a confrontation with Russia. Moreover, a series of European officials request restoring the relations with this state. Russia’s attack on Ukraine brought the EaP close to a collapse and Moldova’s destiny depends greatly on the possibility of Ukraine recovering after the armed conflict it faces. This situation can result in a failure for Moldova.
Victor Chirila said that in such conditions, the country is left to cope with the problems confronting it by itself and it must act so as to show the EU that it has no other alternative than the integration into the European family.
