Former Moldovan President (2001-2009) and Party of Communists head Vladimir Voronin said during a televised interview with a private station that the only reason Romania joined the European Union was because it allowed the United States to build two military bases on its territory.
Mr. Voronin said that Bucharest was not ready to join the E.U. in 2007.
When the Communists were in power, ties with Romania were very tense and culminated in Mr. Voronin accusing Bucharest of a coup in April 2009. Recently, during Romanian President Traian Basescu's visit to Chisinau, Communist M.P. Mark Tkaciuk, who is a close ally of Mr. Voronin's, said Mr. Basescu "had returned to the scene of the crime."
h/t www.unimedia.md
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
U.K. Express paper: "New wave of immigration" possible after Romania announces easier citizenship granting policy for Moldovans
The Daily Express, a conservative British daily, recently posted an editorial about what it sees as "a new wave of immigration from eastern Europe," which "edged closer last night after Romania promised to fast-track a back-door route into Britain."
The article talks about Romanian President Traian Basescu's recent announcement that Moldovans will have an easier time receiving Romanian citizenship if they have lost it involuntarily. This refers to the fact that anyone who lived in Romania between the two world wars - when Moldova was part of Romania - and relatives up to the third generation can ask and get Romanian citizenship.
The full text can be read here.
The article talks about Romanian President Traian Basescu's recent announcement that Moldovans will have an easier time receiving Romanian citizenship if they have lost it involuntarily. This refers to the fact that anyone who lived in Romania between the two world wars - when Moldova was part of Romania - and relatives up to the third generation can ask and get Romanian citizenship.
The full text can be read here.
Reuters: China's New Foreign Policy Takes Shape - in Moldova
Reuters recently posted a feature on Moldova and China's interest in increasing its influence there.
An excerpt:
"Yet China is taking a growing interest in Moldova, a former Soviet state that is poorer than many countries in Africa. Here, horse-drawn carts loaded with hay trundle on battered roads alongside top-end Mercedes and Lexus cars, and villagers get water from daily trips to wells."
The full article can be read here.
An excerpt:
"Yet China is taking a growing interest in Moldova, a former Soviet state that is poorer than many countries in Africa. Here, horse-drawn carts loaded with hay trundle on battered roads alongside top-end Mercedes and Lexus cars, and villagers get water from daily trips to wells."
The full article can be read here.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Kyiv and Chisinau initiate demarcation of border, separatists in Transnistria promise not to interfere
Kyiv and Chisinau have initiated the demarcation of the border between the two countries by unveiling a border sign around the central section of the border.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko said that he hopes this process is over by 2012.
The two countries agreed on the demarcation in 2008.
Thus far, Transnistrian authorities have said that they will not impede the process as long as the demarcation is done outside Transnistrian territory. The separatist republic shares about 450 km of the 1,222-km border between the two countries.
P.M. Vlad Filat will be in Kyiv tomorrow, as well, to talk to P.M. Yulia Timoshenko about border and property issues.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Petro Poroshenko said that he hopes this process is over by 2012.
The two countries agreed on the demarcation in 2008.
Thus far, Transnistrian authorities have said that they will not impede the process as long as the demarcation is done outside Transnistrian territory. The separatist republic shares about 450 km of the 1,222-km border between the two countries.
P.M. Vlad Filat will be in Kyiv tomorrow, as well, to talk to P.M. Yulia Timoshenko about border and property issues.
Romania and Moldova to open new border checkpoint in the north
Local authorities from Romania announced that Bucharest and Chisinau would soon open up a new border checkpoint around the locations of Radauti Prut and Lipcani. Radauti Prut is very close to Northern Moldova, more than 300 km away from Chisinau.
The checkpoint is expected to open by February 12.
The European Union contributed three million Euros to building a bridge in the area to connect the two countries.
h/t www.Rompres.ro
The checkpoint is expected to open by February 12.
The European Union contributed three million Euros to building a bridge in the area to connect the two countries.
h/t www.Rompres.ro
U.S. State Sec Clinton: "Continuance of Russian troops on Moldovan territory" is "matter of concern"
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a January 29 interview with Voice of America that "we [the United States] want to assist Moldova in improving the lives of its people and hopefully over time the problems that it faces can be addressed."
Ms. Clinton added that "I discussed [territorial issues in Moldova] at length with the prime minister. Moldova is struggling to consolidate democracy to improve its economy, it is eligible for Millennium Challenge compact because it is still a poor country in need of a lot of help. Certainly the border disputes with Romania, the continuance of Russian troops on Moldovan territory are matters of concern."
A week ago, Prime Minister Vlad Filat and a number of other officials were on a visit to the United States, where they met with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Moldovan officials also received a 262-million-dollar grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Ms. Clinton added that "I discussed [territorial issues in Moldova] at length with the prime minister. Moldova is struggling to consolidate democracy to improve its economy, it is eligible for Millennium Challenge compact because it is still a poor country in need of a lot of help. Certainly the border disputes with Romania, the continuance of Russian troops on Moldovan territory are matters of concern."
A week ago, Prime Minister Vlad Filat and a number of other officials were on a visit to the United States, where they met with U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Moldovan officials also received a 262-million-dollar grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
(ANALYSIS) In outpouring of Western funding, Moldova to get nearly one billion dollars in financial assistance
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund announced this weekend that it would provide nearly 600 million U.S. dollars to Moldova. The loan will be used to fill budget gaps and to help revive the ailing Moldovan economy, which has been heavily affected by the world economic crisis.
The announcement comes in the wake of Prime Minister Vlad Filat's recent visit to the United States, where he signed an agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, whereby Chisinau will get a 262-million-dollar grant it does not have to pay back. The money will be utilized to modernize agriculture and repair roads.
In addition, the World Bank has announced its willingness to provide Chisinau with about 80 million dollars in loans.
The volume of financial assistance Chisinau is going to be receiving, therefore, reaches a whopping one billion U.S. dollars, the largest sum of money the country has ever gotten from the outside since independence. Most of this money comes from the West, which carries an important political significance, especially compared to the situation in the country when the Communists were in power last year.
In 2009, Communist authorities announced that China had offered Chisinau the possibility of negotiating for a one-billion-dollar loan. Moscow was going to provide 500 million U.S. dollars, as well. Had these sums been obtained by Chisinau, the shape of the country's debt would have been considerably skewed in favor of non-Western countries.
Under the current circumstances, however, the pro-Western orientation of the ruling Alliance for European Integration is reflected in the sources of its funding. Moscow did say that it would still be interested in providing financial help to Chisinau, except that the 500 million dollars turned into 150 million after the ruling coalition came to power. Talks seem to be ongoing about this loan, although statements on the topic both in Chisinau and Moscow have been rather anemic.
Whatever the case may be, the IMF's decision, along with assistance from the MCC and the World Bank, is a much needed boost to the current Government, which has to struggle with a staggering budget deficit and rising prices that might anger part of the population.
The next couple of years will most likely be marred by political instability and conflict as Chisinau braces for another early legislative poll. That could prevent some of the money from coming into the country. But, at this point, the economic situation in Moldova does not look as dire.
The announcement comes in the wake of Prime Minister Vlad Filat's recent visit to the United States, where he signed an agreement with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, whereby Chisinau will get a 262-million-dollar grant it does not have to pay back. The money will be utilized to modernize agriculture and repair roads.
In addition, the World Bank has announced its willingness to provide Chisinau with about 80 million dollars in loans.
The volume of financial assistance Chisinau is going to be receiving, therefore, reaches a whopping one billion U.S. dollars, the largest sum of money the country has ever gotten from the outside since independence. Most of this money comes from the West, which carries an important political significance, especially compared to the situation in the country when the Communists were in power last year.
In 2009, Communist authorities announced that China had offered Chisinau the possibility of negotiating for a one-billion-dollar loan. Moscow was going to provide 500 million U.S. dollars, as well. Had these sums been obtained by Chisinau, the shape of the country's debt would have been considerably skewed in favor of non-Western countries.
Under the current circumstances, however, the pro-Western orientation of the ruling Alliance for European Integration is reflected in the sources of its funding. Moscow did say that it would still be interested in providing financial help to Chisinau, except that the 500 million dollars turned into 150 million after the ruling coalition came to power. Talks seem to be ongoing about this loan, although statements on the topic both in Chisinau and Moscow have been rather anemic.
Whatever the case may be, the IMF's decision, along with assistance from the MCC and the World Bank, is a much needed boost to the current Government, which has to struggle with a staggering budget deficit and rising prices that might anger part of the population.
The next couple of years will most likely be marred by political instability and conflict as Chisinau braces for another early legislative poll. That could prevent some of the money from coming into the country. But, at this point, the economic situation in Moldova does not look as dire.
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