Protests demanding the resignation of the country’s authorities are continuing in Moldova. President Nicolae Timofti and Prime Minister Valeriu Strelet don’t intend to resign. Alexander Shevchenko, Senior Researcher at the center for researching problems of the neighboring countries of the Russian Institute for Strategic Studies, thinks that European integration, at this stage, is not profitable for Moldova: “The association agreement, which was signed last year between the EU and the Republic of Moldova, was a continuation of the system of preferential agreements that was established in Western Europe countries a long time ago.”
The expert recalls that in 1963-1968, and then in 1968-1972, there was a system of Yaounde preferential agreements, linking African countries with the countries of the European Economic Community, which later, because of its frank colonial character, were replaced by the more sophisticated Lomé Agreements. They were also rejected by developing countries due to the fact that they also were a trace of EU's aspiration to achieve, first of all, its political economic goals at the expense of more dependent partners, at the expense of limited trade and financial concessions to ensure the sale of its products and to involve them in the sphere of political and economic influence of the European oligarchy.
Shevchenko believes that today the Republic of Moldova, while incorporating the norms of European Union into its legislation, is gradually losing its sovereignty. “Considering the fact that other countries' candidates for membership in the EU at least had a prospect for membership, the Republic of Moldova does not have it. That is, the country confronts the prospect of a gradual loss of its political independence,” the expert believes.
According to him, Russia should do its best to develop relationships with Chisinau: “Last year, by the decision of our government, import duties were imposed on goods that arrive in Moldova from Europe. All of this has led to a decrease in turnover, a decrease of Moldovan exports, reflected negatively in the state of Russian investments. The involvement of Moldova in the economic relations system of the European Union led to the accession of Chisinau to the EU Third Energy Package, which again created a risk for Russian investments in the gas sphere to Moldova. A negative for us, I think, is obvious, we need to look for some solutions calmly, without worries, without political accusations. Valeriu Strelet stated about the importance of restarting relations with Russia. Taking into consideration this constructive attitude, maybe our Moldovan colleagues should look at the possibility of suspending the agreement on association with the EU until a comprehensive study is carried out into the whole range of trade and economic relations in this region.”
