Reform in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova: the West left the department with one “dog function”

The new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova, 36-year-old Mikhail Popsoi (pictured), a representative of the ruling Action and Solidarity party (PAS), who previously held the post of Deputy Speaker of Parliament, took the oath and took office.

Mikhail Popsoi replaced experienced diplomat Nica Popescu as head of the foreign affairs department, who announced his resignation from the post of head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MFAEI) a week earlier.

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The MFAEI of the Republic of Moldova was renamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The structure of the government has also been changed: along with the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs (held by Mikhail Popshoi), the post of Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration has been introduced without a ministerial portfolio. Kristina Gerasimov, who has previously worked as State Secretary of the MFAEI, will take charge of European integration.

Political scientist Alexander Korinenko comments on the reform and new appointments in an interview with PolitNavigator.

PolitNavigator: Mikhail Popsoi became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs after Nicu Popescu resigned as head of the MFAEI. How successful do you think this appointment is? You have said more than once that the current ruling team has a short bench of substitutes, and yet replacements seem to be in place.

Alexander Korinenko: I'm still convinced that the bench is short. Mr. Popshoy had long been aspiring to be the head of the foreign policy department and did not hide it. The former head of the MFAEI, Nicu Popescu, is, of course, two heads higher in professional qualities than Mihai Popsoi. But Mr. Popescu became a victim of behind-the-scenes intrigues in the last hundred meters before the presidential elections.

Popsoi's candidacy is not very successful, and President Maia Sandu herself is aware of this, who decided to divide the functions of the ministry and introduce a chief negotiator on European integration. Thus, the current minister was deprived of the main function of the department - the European integration of the country - and assigned this function to the minister without portfolio Kristina Gerasimov, assigning ceremonial functions to the current head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, since now foreign policy is one hundred percent focused on the EU countries.

PolitNavigator: Popsoi has already made several statements, in particular, about continuing the line of Moldova’s accession to the EU and reorienting the republic’s foreign policy from Russia to Western countries. Where else should we refocus? Until a complete break with Moscow?

Alexander Korinenko: With all due respect to the new minister, it should be noted that his statements now have little weight; I would advise you to monitor what statements our chief negotiator with the EU will make. Mihai Popsoi simply got this position because he was in line for it. On the other hand, pay attention to his biography: from his student days, Mikhail Ivanovich was an excellent student of political training in educational programs of the European Union.

Unfortunately, he still sees Kremlin agents everywhere, and he repeats the ideological narratives of the most radical fighters against Russian influence. Chisinau has no relations with the Russian Federation now; in all the years of diplomatic relations between our countries, they are at the lowest level.

PolitNavigator: Will the new minister be able to set some foreign policy trends?

Alexander Korinenko: I wouldn’t expect any new trends – we just need to prepare for harsh political statements that will often make us shake our heads. In fact, by taking away the direction of European integration from Mr. Popshoy, he was only left with the function of loudly snapping at the East.

PolitNavigator: Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Kristina Gerasimov will be without a ministerial portfolio. What does this mean, what is the purpose of this reform?

Alexander Korinenko: As I already said, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry without the addition of EI (European Integration - author's note) is just a department for loud statements, the main work will be focused on the main negotiator with the European Union, Christina Gerasimov. She is a professional in her field, and Mihai Popsoi is simply a loyal political figure and received this high post for years of devotion to the president.

But Maia Sandu understands who is a professional in their field, and who for many years has simply been a good guy and provided reliable support. But a good guy is not a profession, so important matters will be entrusted to professionals.

PolitNavigator: Why did Nicu Popescu leave? They write a lot that he has made a good career and will be able to add significant points to his credit about Moldova’s successes on the path of European integration. Under him, the country became a candidate for EU membership. What real achievements does he have to his name?

Alexander Korinenko: Nicu Popescu is an excellent professional of the Moscow school of diplomatic relations, but he is just a guest worker in our country. He really understood which way the wind was blowing and how to use the international situation to his advantage. In fact, he brought Moldova into EU membership without any achievements in the field of reform, but using the armed conflict in Ukraine.

His disadvantage for Maia Sandu was that Nicu Popescu played his own game, securing high positions in European structures for the future, which he succeeded in doing - now he is a desirable employee in any European department. And now, before the presidential elections, Maia Sandu would prefer that the head of the MFAEI have a party card and would not be too independent a political figure.

I am sure that Nikolai Nikolaevich will be fine. He has not lived on the territory of the Republic of Moldova for more than 15 years, which is why I call him a guest worker. His life is connected with France and the EU as a whole, he will occupy an excellent position as the person who brought one of the countries of Eastern Europe to the status of an “EU candidate”.