APE staff

Declaration by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union on the alignment of certain third countries with Council Decision 2012/170/CFSP amending Decision 2010/573/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against the leadership of the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, Brussels, 8 June 2012.

Notably, the 2012 Index is based on a more elaborate set of questions than the 2011 Index was. The 2011 Index was based on nearly 400 questions, while this years Index is based on 695 questions. In contrast to the previous Index, the structure of each of the three dimensions is different. For instance, we introduced Sectoral Cooperation” section in Linkage and Sectoral Approximation” section in Approximation to give less weight to each individual sector.

Note: This analysis has been developed within the project of the Foreign Policy Association "Exploiting regional expertise and experience for developing predictable and viable relations with Russia ". The project was implemented in partnership with the Black Sea Trust for Regional Cooperation, German Marshall Fund. One of the major goals of the project was to identify the premises, obstacles and options for building a realistic, credible and beneficial Moldovan-Russian partnership for both sides.

Nicu Popescu, head the Russia and Wider Europe Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Twenty years of independence have demonstrated that the process of building the Moldovan state is extremely difficult and far from being fulfilled. The unsettled Transnistrian conflict, the rush for citizenship of other countries, the exodus of citizens are just some symptoms of failure to implement the Moldovan statehood project.

The 2011 was a good year for the foreign policy, which, in fact, is the true success story of the Republic of Moldova during the last 3 years. The positive image that our country enjoys within the Eastern Partnership, in Washington, Brussels and other EU capitals, is primarily due to our diplomacy. Nevertheless, the successes of our foreign policy, particularly in relations with the EU are increasingly dependent on internal factors, such as solidarity of the political class, cohesion of the society, pace and quality of reforms, the efficiency of state institutions, etc... From this point of view, we can presume that 2012 will be much more difficult for our diplomats.

The question of the title is undoubtedly challenging for an increasingly indifferent society towards the Transnistrian problem. According to the latest barometer of public opinion (BPO) from November 2011, the resolution of the Transnistrian conflict is No. 1 priority only for 1% of the countrys population and is on the 8th place among the most important problems to be solved in the Republic of Moldova. On the other hand, the consensus and solidarity of political class on the provisions of the special legal status of the Transnistrian region, as defined by the Law No. 173 from 22 July 2005, are no longer certain.

Reflections on the session of the European Council for Foreign Relations Warsaw, November 10, 2011

*Transcript of a radio broadcast, from November 19th2011, produces by the Foreign Policy Association (APE) in collaboration with Imedia News and Analysis Agency and with the assistance of the German Foundation Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES). The broadcast is aired on Radio Vocea Basarabiei every Saturday.

In the last twenty years, Republic of Moldova registered a series of major changes in political, economic, social and cultural field. The collapse of the Soviet Union generated a continuous transition process in all spheres of human life that led to the emergence of new social phenomena or deepening existing ones, migration of working - age population being one of them. Migration is determined mainly by the lack of jobs and low wages, unstable political situation, lack of social and economic security. According to statistics provided by National Bureau of Statistics, in 2010 around 311 000 people were abroad working or seeking work. At the same time, it is assumed that the actual number of unofficial migrants is around 600 000 people.

The Foreign Policy Association (APE) suggests working out a strategy for supporting the Moldovan diaspora, which would set out the principles, objectives and the main course of action and would complexly and integrally tackle the problems faced by the Moldovans living abroad.

Europe and Russia have learned to hear each other. The dialogue between them is far more productive than the dialogue between Russia and many of the CIS countries. The Project of Foreign Policy Association of the RM (FPA) "Using regional expert knowledge and experience to develop predictable and reliable relationship with Russia" precisely aims to help Moldova to remedy the situation. Regular expert, whom FPA invited to our country, became a guest of the "MВ". This is the Director of the Centre for the study of Russia/NIS (newly independent States), French Institute of international affairs Тhomas Gomart.

Moldova should not exclude a surprise on the part of the European Union as regards the liberalization of the visa regime because the official Brussels consider the Republic of Moldova makes quick progress in implementing the agreed plan of action, German independent expert Martin Sieg said in a meeting of the Press Club of the Foreign Policy Association.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has welcomed the announced resumption of internationally-mediated talks on the Transdniester dispute.

Deputy Prime Minsiter responsible for countrys reintegration, Eugen Carpov

Each of the 20 years of independence in Moldova has its meaning and role in what happened in the period and, undoubtedly, in what is going to happen in the country and the peoples lives in the future. Info-Prim Neo asked politicians, analysts, experts and personalities from different areas to pronounce on the main events that took place during a certain year and assess their impact on the country.