{"id":447320,"date":"2019-05-26T18:33:06","date_gmt":"2019-05-26T18:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/?p=447320"},"modified":"2019-05-26T18:35:06","modified_gmt":"2019-05-26T18:35:06","slug":"case-moldovan-mep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.moldova.org\/en\/case-moldovan-mep\/","title":{"rendered":"The case for a Moldovan MEP"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\u201cWhere is Moldova?\u201d- a commonly asked question everywhere East of Bucharest, and also a British board game. Few know about the existence of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic which got its independence in 1991 and is sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine.<\/p>\n

If one happens to know where is Moldova, it is for a bad reason. It is currently competing with Ukraine for the position of the poorest country in Europe with a GDP per capita hovering somewhere around $5000 per capita (PPP). It constantly comes up as a top origin country for trafficked persons in the US Department of State reports. Around 1 billion US dollars, or one-eighth of its GDP, were taken out of the country\u2019s three banks during 2013-2014 through high-risk loans with the help of EU-based shell companies. It still illegally hosts around 1400 Russian troops on its territory and has not achieved an effective political deal for more than 27 years with a separatist republic in its East. Moldova is also a country with one of the fastest shrinking population in the world and one of the biggest shares of remittances in the GDP. Other than the Epic Sax Guy, Ozone\u2019s \u201cDragostea din Tei\u201d, and the recently rediscovered wine culture, Moldova is not recognized for good in Europe.<\/p>\n

Its recent political successes in foreign policy are limited to three major developments in the relations with the EU: the visa-free regime for Moldovan citizens, the Association Agreement, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). These developments have not only created a framework of cooperation with the EU in areas ranging from rule of law and democratization to market rules and migration but also allowed Moldovan citizens and companies to explore the European Union. Since 2014, around 1,5 million citizens (in a country of 2,9 million) are reported to have traveled to the EU, and the Moldovan companies increased their exports to the EU by at least 10%. In the meantime, the EU also managed to become Moldova\u2019s most important trade and investment partner, overcoming the CIS market by three times in trade value. It is a reality now that the EU is more engaged politically and economically in Moldova than Russia.<\/p>\n

But Moldova\u2019s presence in the EU is visible more often in another form: over 600 thousand Moldovans holding the Romanian citizenship. As a result of Romania\u2019s efforts to reintegrate citizens from former Soviet-occupied Romanian territories, more and more Moldovan citizens, mostly Romanian-speaking ones, have started to obtain (or re-obtain, as officially stated) Romanian citizenship for various reasons. After easily proving family roots in the pre-1945 Romania, Moldovans thus could regain their official status of ethnic Romanians, could visit their lost families in current Romania, and, last but not least, travel and work freely in the EU. It has been argued that the latter has been a major motivation for obtaining a Romanian passport, even for those who don\u2019t necessarily identify themselves as ethnic Romanians. This motivation is occasionally criticized in both Romania and Moldova, but one thing is certain: the actions of the \u201clittle man\u201d should not be judged and rather be viewed from a very rational perspective in the poorest of Europe\u2019s regions. Consider this: the lack of interest of Moldovan Romanians in Romania\u2019s public life and Romanian politics does worry many \u201cmainland\u201d Romanians. But this assumption does not hold any longer.<\/p>\n

At least 2 Moldova-born legislators were elected in Romania\u2019s bicameral parliament, over 30 thousand Moldovans used the ballot box (in Moldova) in the last Parliamentary and Presidential elections to express their voice in Romania\u2019s politics, tens of thousands of Moldovans live and pay taxes in Romania. Most recently, the political integration of Moldovans in Romania has gone to the next level: the European level. Moldova\u2019s former PM Iurie Leanc\u0103 (whose premiership witnessed the massive bank frauds) is now the third candidate in the list of Pro Rom\u00e2nia, following ex-PM Victor Ponta and the outgoing Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cre\u021bu. With a failed political career back in Moldova, Leanc\u0103 has the greatest chance of becoming the first Moldovan MEP in EU\u2019s history, considering Ponta and Cre\u021bu\u2019s potential comeback to Romanian domestic politics. Another Moldovan on an EP election list is Daniela \u0218erban, capital markets professional, but the chances of her getting an MEP seat are quite low, despite Alian\u021ba 2020\u2019s potential high score on 26 May.<\/p>\n

It has to be said that Moldovan do not vote only for other Moldovans in Romania. People\u2019s Movement led by Ukraine-born Eugen Tomac has maintained appeal amongst Moldovan Romanians due to the policy of reintegration and assistance formerly promoted by ex-President Traian B\u0103sescu in regards to Moldovans and the Republic of Moldova. B\u0103sescu might win his MEP seat largely thanks to the support of Moldovans. Although not able to integrate Moldovan Romanians in their EP election lists, the traditional Social-Democrats and National Liberals are likely to gather support in Moldova only with the help of party links with the governing Democrats and the opposition ACUM bloc in Moldova.<\/p>\n

Voter turnout numbers from 26 May will show whether the Moldovan Romanians feel relevant to raise their voice in the second biggest election in the world. More importantly, it will reveal (or reconfirm) a relatively new aspect of the changing EU polity: its permeability for voters who have never lived in the EU but are nevertheless attracted to its norms and prosperity.<\/p>\n

On the other side of the \u201cfence\u201d, the EU has to embrace Moldova and Moldovans now more than ever. This deepening of the relations should not happen at the expense of the reform conditionality on EU\u2019s help, nor should it be seen as a geopolitical challenge to Russia. Overlooking the slow progress of reforms has led to the demise of the Eastern Partnership\u2019s \u201csuccess story\u201d and the democratic backsliding in Moldova\u2019s political system, where the ambiguously \u201cpro-EU\u201d government does not bother cooperating with the \u201cpro-Russian\u201d systemic opposition on the basis of power-sharing.<\/p>\n

Overlooking Moldova now would be a mistake the EU could not afford. Overlooking Moldovan Romanians would be something the EU could not avoid. Moldovans might integrate faster into the EU than their own Republic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\u201cWhere is Moldova?\u201d- a commonly asked question everywhere East of Bucharest, and also a British board game. Few know about the existence of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic which got its independence in 1991 and is sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine. If one happens to know where is Moldova, it is for a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":445235,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,12,3],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-447320","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-important-en","category-opinion","category-politics","tag-important"],"content_social_share":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\u201cWhere is Moldova?\u201d- a commonly asked question everywhere East of Bucharest, and also a British board game. Few know about the existence of the Republic of Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic which got its independence in 1991 and is sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine.<\/p>\n

If one happens to know where is Moldova, it is for a bad reason. It is currently competing with Ukraine for the position of the poorest country in Europe with a GDP per capita hovering somewhere around $5000 per capita (PPP). It constantly comes up as a top origin country for trafficked persons in the US Department of State reports. Around 1 billion US dollars, or one-eighth of its GDP, were taken out of the country\u2019s three banks during 2013-2014 through high-risk loans with the help of EU-based shell companies. It still illegally hosts around 1400 Russian troops on its territory and has not achieved an effective political deal for more than 27 years with a separatist republic in its East. Moldova is also a country with one of the fastest shrinking population in the world and one of the biggest shares of remittances in the GDP. Other than the Epic Sax Guy, Ozone\u2019s \u201cDragostea din Tei\u201d, and the recently rediscovered wine culture, Moldova is not recognized for good in Europe.<\/p>\n

Its recent political successes in foreign policy are limited to three major developments in the relations with the EU: the visa-free regime for Moldovan citizens, the Association Agreement, and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA). These developments have not only created a framework of cooperation with the EU in areas ranging from rule of law and democratization to market rules and migration but also allowed Moldovan citizens and companies to explore the European Union. Since 2014, around 1,5 million citizens (in a country of 2,9 million) are reported to have traveled to the EU, and the Moldovan companies increased their exports to the EU by at least 10%. In the meantime, the EU also managed to become Moldova\u2019s most important trade and investment partner, overcoming the CIS market by three times in trade value. It is a reality now that the EU is more engaged politically and economically in Moldova than Russia.<\/p>\n

But Moldova\u2019s presence in the EU is visible more often in another form: over 600 thousand Moldovans holding the Romanian citizenship. As a result of Romania\u2019s efforts to reintegrate citizens from former Soviet-occupied Romanian territories, more and more Moldovan citizens, mostly Romanian-speaking ones, have started to obtain (or re-obtain, as officially stated) Romanian citizenship for various reasons. After easily proving family roots in the pre-1945 Romania, Moldovans thus could regain their official status of ethnic Romanians, could visit their lost families in current Romania, and, last but not least, travel and work freely in the EU. It has been argued that the latter has been a major motivation for obtaining a Romanian passport, even for those who don\u2019t necessarily identify themselves as ethnic Romanians. This motivation is occasionally criticized in both Romania and Moldova, but one thing is certain: the actions of the \u201clittle man\u201d should not be judged and rather be viewed from a very rational perspective in the poorest of Europe\u2019s regions. Consider this: the lack of interest of Moldovan Romanians in Romania\u2019s public life and Romanian politics does worry many \u201cmainland\u201d Romanians. But this assumption does not hold any longer.<\/p>\n

At least 2 Moldova-born legislators were elected in Romania\u2019s bicameral parliament, over 30 thousand Moldovans used the ballot box (in Moldova) in the last Parliamentary and Presidential elections to express their voice in Romania\u2019s politics, tens of thousands of Moldovans live and pay taxes in Romania. Most recently, the political integration of Moldovans in Romania has gone to the next level: the European level. Moldova\u2019s former PM Iurie Leanc\u0103 (whose premiership witnessed the massive bank frauds) is now the third candidate in the list of Pro Rom\u00e2nia, following ex-PM Victor Ponta and the outgoing Regional Policy Commissioner Corina Cre\u021bu. With a failed political career back in Moldova, Leanc\u0103 has the greatest chance of becoming the first Moldovan MEP in EU\u2019s history, considering Ponta and Cre\u021bu\u2019s potential comeback to Romanian domestic politics. Another Moldovan on an EP election list is Daniela \u0218erban, capital markets professional, but the chances of her getting an MEP seat are quite low, despite Alian\u021ba 2020\u2019s potential high score on 26 May.<\/p>\n

It has to be said that Moldovan do not vote only for other Moldovans in Romania. People\u2019s Movement led by Ukraine-born Eugen Tomac has maintained appeal amongst Moldovan Romanians due to the policy of reintegration and assistance formerly promoted by ex-President Traian B\u0103sescu in regards to Moldovans and the Republic of Moldova. B\u0103sescu might win his MEP seat largely thanks to the support of Moldovans. Although not able to integrate Moldovan Romanians in their EP election lists, the traditional Social-Democrats and National Liberals are likely to gather support in Moldova only with the help of party links with the governing Democrats and the opposition ACUM bloc in Moldova.<\/p>\n

Voter turnout numbers from 26 May will show whether the Moldovan Romanians feel relevant to raise their voice in the second biggest election in the world. More importantly, it will reveal (or reconfirm) a relatively new aspect of the changing EU polity: its permeability for voters who have never lived in the EU but are nevertheless attracted to its norms and prosperity.<\/p>\n

On the other side of the \u201cfence\u201d, the EU has to embrace Moldova and Moldovans now more than ever. This deepening of the relations should not happen at the expense of the reform conditionality on EU\u2019s help, nor should it be seen as a geopolitical challenge to Russia. Overlooking the slow progress of reforms has led to the demise of the Eastern Partnership\u2019s \u201csuccess story\u201d and the democratic backsliding in Moldova\u2019s political system, where the ambiguously \u201cpro-EU\u201d government does not bother cooperating with the \u201cpro-Russian\u201d systemic opposition on the basis of power-sharing.<\/p>\n

Overlooking Moldova now would be a mistake the EU could not afford. Overlooking Moldovan Romanians would be something the EU could not avoid. Moldovans might integrate faster into the EU than their own Republic.<\/p>\n

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