Moldova: the election Europe pretended not to be contesting
A year after winning 55 of 101 seats, Moldova’s government has already changed prime minister twice — and governs with energy under emergency and Transnistria as leverage.
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Theme: Moldova
Articles and notes where Moldova is a central actor.
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Hungary blocked the next step in the European Union (EU) membership process for Ukraine and Moldova, according to the Kyiv Independent, in a text republished by Byteseu, even though their previous demands had been met. The TASS news agency reported the block.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Washington understood and acknowledged Moscow’s position on a possible trilateral meeting on Ukraine, after Kiev’s attempts to disrupt the State Duma elections, according to TASS. On another front, European Union ambassadors agreed to resume the technical stage of EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova, stalled by Hungary since the summer, with the possible opening of two clusters, according to TASS, citing the Rapporteur report.
Russia proposed that Moldova conduct a joint investigation into drone incidents, rather than levelling baseless accusations, according to TASS. Russia’s ambassador-designate to Chișinău, Oleg Ozerov, said Moldova blames Russia for all its troubles, following the European Union’s lead, without providing any evidence. Moldova handed a note of protest to Ozerov after three drones violated the country’s airspace on September 30, two of them exploding on Moldovan territory, according to Radio Moldova.
The parliament of Moldova approved a nationwide state of emergency in the energy and hydrological sectors for 60 days, according to the official Moldpres news agency. The 101-seat legislature approved the measure in a 54-20 vote, and it takes effect on Saturday, September 26, according to the Associated Press (AP), in a text republished by WTOP. The government cites falling water levels in the Dniester River and global conflicts driving up energy costs, according to The Independent.
Moldova’s former president Igor Dodon, leader of the largest opposition party, the Party of Socialists, said the country overpaid roughly US$ 330 million for gas over the past two and a half years after cutting ties with Gazprom and buying from the European Union (EU) at prices 40% higher, according to Dodon, cited by TASS. He says the formula agreed with Gazprom in 2021 would have delivered an average price 15% below the European average and roughly US$ 745 million in accumulated savings between 2022 and 2026, TASS reports.
Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan said the country does not plan to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), citing the neutrality enshrined in the Constitution, in a Bloomberg interview cited by Sputnik. Tofan said he wants to keep a good relationship with the alliance — including Romania.