Director of the Center for East-European Studies of Bucharest Raluca Raducanu said that she does not see another possibility for developing Moldova than establishing a partnership with the International Monetary Fund or the European Union. In an interview for Radio Free Europa, quoted by IPN, she said that the Strelet Government should define itself and should show how inspiring it is. If the EU requirements are met and the plan of action is fulfilled and if the Association Agreement is implemented, there are chances for Moldova to benefit from stability and from the financial support that it needs so much.
Raluca Raducanu said that otherwise things will stagnate until other politicians come and decide to implement these requirements or until other politicians come and decide to terminate this accord. “I’m yet confident that things will move towards the rapprochement with the EU, even if not radically or overnight. I’m confident that there are no such irresponsible persons who could dynamite the relationship with the EU and practically Moldova’s development chances,” she stated.
She also said that as long as the Moldovan officials do not follow the recommendations of the European officials as regards the reforms that Moldova needs, the relationship will not advance very soon or will not advance in the way expected by many Moldovans. The European Union, when it commits itself to support a state, it expects that this state will deserve this support. Now the EU wants reforms that would guarantee the welfare of the people and would guarantee a stable state that would be able to discuss and with which negotiations could be held in the future.
According to Raluca Raducanu, the reforms are the next step because, if there are even small reforms and if the Moldovan politicians are convincing and believe that they can do good things and will make effort to move things on, the EU will provide all the necessary support. “I would warn them against believing that they can yet cheat the European Union somehow. In fact they didn’t manage to cheat it until now either. The EU chose to close the eyes for the people’s benefit. Maybe it wasn’t the wisest decision, but the situation was as such at that moment,” she said.
She noted that the Moldovan politicians should undertake reforms or the relations with the EU will stagnate. Financing from the EU will not come because there is no method by which to justify the provision of financing to a state in relation to which there are no guarantees, and the politicians in Chisinau will have to sustain the effects of the own decisions.
