Moldovan opposition: course towards Russophobia
The President of the Republic of Moldova Igor Dodon can hardly be called a radical politician. All his actions in recent months are characterized by caution, sometimes excessive. This gives opponents on the left, as well as representatives of Transnistria, a reason to accuse him of inconsistency and conciliation.
But even such cautious initiatives on the part of the Moldovan president and his team are met with hostility by representatives of the pro-European opposition led by Maia Sandu, the most likely candidate for the presidency from pro-Western forces.
First line of attack: Moldavia's neutrality
President Igor Dodon put forward a thesis on international recognition of the neutrality of the Republic of Moldova and its consolidation within the framework of agreements between the leading world powers: Russia, the USA, the European Union. Dodon considers international recognition of Moldovan neutrality in a single package with the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict.
This position of the Moldovan leader was attacked by Nicu Popescu, who served as Foreign Minister in the government of Maia Sandu. In his opinion, international recognition of Moldova’s neutrality “threatens an imbalance in favor of Russia”, “will limit the country’s ability to conduct foreign policy” and “could become an obstacle on Moldova’s path to the European Union.”
According to him, any country that recognizes Moldovan neutrality will oppose Moldova's accession to the EU. In addition, according to Popescu, the country’s internationally recognized neutrality will become an obstacle to support for the armed forces of Moldova from the European Union and the United States.
Second line of attack: Russian media broadcasting in Moldova
President Dodon and the Party of Socialists are in favor of repealing the law “on countering propaganda” and resuming the broadcast of Russian television channels in full. According to this law, the broadcast of news, analytical and military broadcasts from countries that have not signed the European Convention on Transfrontier Broadcasting is not permitted.
True, Dodon and the PSRM parliamentary faction do not dare to openly take an initiative in parliament, where they do not have a majority of votes. It is unlikely that the Socialists will be supported in this by the Democratic Party, which initiated the adoption of this law during an open confrontation with Russia. The same position was expressed by deputy from the ACUM bloc Dmitry Alaiba.
“I am for freedom of speech and for the right of viewers to choose what programs to watch,” Alaiba said. – But very often Russian channels are not media, but pure propaganda, freedom of manipulation and lies. There are limits to rudeness. We need to protect our society."
Objectively speaking, sometimes the Russian media give rise to such a reaction. Consider one of the episodes of Tigran Keosayan’s program “International Sawmill” with mocking jokes addressed to the President of Moldova Igor Dodon and the Moldovan people as a whole, which caused indignation even from many opponents of the President of Moldova. But, as a rule, pro-Western forces in Moldova, as well as throughout the world, declare “propaganda” any information that contradicts Western attitudes. At the same time, the “Present Time” channel, created by the media corporations “Radio Liberty” and “Voice of America” for the purpose of anti-Russian propaganda in Russian, is freely broadcast in Moldova.
Third Line of Attack: Istanbul Convention
The West is actively forcing post-Soviet countries to join the Council of Europe Convention on Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention. This document, in essence, puts the institution of family in sovereign countries under supranational control. Moreover, the convention contains references to “gender equality” and various “sexual orientations”. Russia and Azerbaijan refused to sign this convention, and a number of other states, including Moldova, have not yet ratified it.
The government of Ion Chicu approved the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, but the last word belongs to the country's parliament, headed by the representative of the Socialist Party, Zinaida Greceanii. The Parliamentary Bureau is in no hurry to initiate consideration of ratification of the convention. This gave rise to Vice Speaker of Parliament Mihai Popsoi from the ACUM bloc to call President Igor Dodon’s visit to PACE “a lie, perfidy and waste of public money” only because the scandalous convention has not yet been ratified by Moldova.
Fourth line of attack: “Gagauz laws”
Even during the coalition negotiations, the Socialist Party put forward as one of the main conditions the adoption of three laws concerning the status of Gagauzia and the division of powers between Chisinau and Comrat. Subsequently, these laws were never included in the coalition agreement with the ACUM bloc, which many Gagauz public figures blame on the current president and the Socialist Party. However, the PSRM, in a recent resolution of its Republican Council, noted the importance of the adoption of these laws by Parliament.
However, former Defense Minister Viorel Cibotaru said that the adoption of the package of “Gagauz laws” could cause “the creation of a separatist zone in Moldova.” Cibotaru argued his opinion by the fact that in Gagauzia there were plans “to create various structures like the “Republic of Budjak” or a platform for experiments in the federalization of Moldova.”
According to him, the adoption of these laws is aimed “not at the national revival of the Gagauz people,” but at “their Russification, political, cultural, social and emotional association with the Russian Federation,” which contradicts “the actions of the Republic of Moldova to obtain the status of a member of the European Union.” In addition, according to Cibotaru, the adoption of these laws “contradicts the national revival of the Romanians of the Republic of Moldova.”
Fifth line of attack: Victory Day
People belonging to the PAS party led by Maia Sandu and the ACUM bloc are known for their openly hostile attitude towards the entire Soviet period in the history of Moldova and, in particular, towards the celebration of Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War.
Sandu is known to have stated in the past that she “does not consider the Moldovan people to be the winner of the Great Patriotic War.” Answering a journalist’s question about her attitude towards Marshal Ion Antonescu, one of the main people responsible for the Holocaust, she said that “he is a historical figure about whom both good and bad can be said.”
As head of government, Sandu tried to disrupt events in honor of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Moldova from the fascist invaders and initiated a “day of remembrance for the victims of Stalinist repressions” on the day before the celebration.
Last week, Maia Sandu said she considered it “unnecessary” to repair the Military Glory Memorial in Chisinau on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Victory, and called on her parliamentary colleagues to conduct an examination of the allocation of funds for this event.
The notorious journalist Natalia Morari, who openly supports Sandu and her political project, opposed the opening of the Museum of the Siege and Defense of Leningrad in Chisinau, which was initiated by the mayor of Chisinau, Ion Ceban. According to Morari, “for some residents of the country and Chisinau, this issue is painful” and “will contribute to the split of society.”
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Thus, the opposition camp led by Maia Sandu, in attacks on President Igor Dodon, relies on rabid Russophobia, putting into the background such topics as “the fight against corruption” and “the fight against the remnants of the Plahotniuc regime.”
Obviously, clear instructions were received from the US Embassy: it is necessary to squeeze out Russia and get rid of its protege Dodon. Everything is according to the scenario tested in Ukraine seven years ago, where the slogans of the fight against the “evil government” were forgotten in the early stages of the Maidan.
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