(Video added from Euronews)
Moldova has not been an independent country for long. In 1991 the small Eastern-European nation declared its independence from Russia, but the nation has not ever been able to shake the Russians’ influence. The current president, Igor Dodon, is known for his pro-Russian ties, and given Russia’s aggression in recent years (Ukraine), there is an expectation that the country might fall under Russian control again soon. There is also a section of the population that is calling for a reunification with Romania, which Moldova was a part of following WWI before it was annexed by the Soviet Union.
The struggle between Russia and the West was evident in the mayoral elections for the country’s capital, Chisinau, back in August of 2018. A pro-Russian candidate was upset in the elections, but the victory was invalidated because the winner broke campaign laws by hosting a Facebook live-stream on the day of the election during which he encouraged people to vote. Protests followed with limited violence, and the EU as well as the United States decried the result as a threat to democracy. (Euronews)
February elections will likely go a long way in deciding the fate of the country. Currently the Parliamentary section of the government is held by pro-Western politicians, but the pro-Western leadership is tainted with corruption. President Dodon has said that if the upcoming elections are not decisive then he will not hesitate to call another election. The elections are already taking on a sinister tone with news that the Russian and Dodon will rig the elections to make the pro-Russian candidates prevail. (Reuters)
Because of the uncertainty surrounding the February elections, the sale of the country’s second largest bank, Moldindconbank, is being held up. The bank had its assets frozen in 2016 as Moldovan leaders had concerns over the bank’s management. The country was plunged into a deep financial crisis in 2014/2015 because of “opaque ownership structures” in the nation’s bank that led to $1 billion disappearing. The corruption has led to a deep-seated distrust among people, and corruption is a daily element that politicians have to contend with. (Reuters)
The state-run news outlet in Russia, TASS, published an article on January 30 showing that in a recent meeting between Putin and Dodon, the pair agreed to “take relations to a new level.” The Moldovan president is certain that the upcoming elections will demonstrate a desire to side with the Russian government. The agreements would help shape new “economic,” “humanitarian” and “trade” measures that would boost Moldovan and Russian ties. The strengthened routes would come through Ukraine. (TASS)
As a result of the unrest in the country, the EU is withholding a massive aid package. Moldova is known to be one of the poorest countries in Europe, and the constant political friction has hindered the nation’s growth. The hesitation from the EU may lead to a necessary and greater reliance on the Russians. According to the free state index published in 2018, Moldova is categorized under the “warning” section of the index. This section is roughly in the middle of the spectrum, but indicates that there are some elements of instability that exist inside the country. Moldova’s scored was slightly higher than it was in 2017 which does not make too much sense considering the protests in the nation’s capital and the potential upcoming sale of one of the nation’s largest banks.
I visited Moldova in 2017 to put on a week-long summer camp for orphans. The camp was held in a former Soviet compound. Largely everything was made of concrete, and Soviet graffiti was visible and prominent in several of the surrounding compounds. The people that we were with were adamant that someday they would leave the country because of the corruption and the minimal future it offered. They repeatedly referred to Moldova as a “dark” country that did not have a lot of hope.
