The Newsletter is based on the radio programme broadcast on June 23 rd , 2016, produced by the Foreign Policy Association of Moldova in partnership with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES). The programme is broadcast on the Radio Moldova public channel. The programme is part of the FES/APE“European Integration and Foreign Policy Dialogues” Project. The content can be reproduced by mentioning the source. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN JUNE 2016 NR.6(124) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The materials are realized by Lina Grau, foreign policy expert and programme coordinator with APE. TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Signe Burgstaller: The systemic high level corruption is a major obstacle for the political and economic development 2. Nicu Popescu: Brexit- any internal weakening of the EU has a negative effect on the Eastern European geopolitics 3. Iulian Groza: The current political climate is not favouring an advancement in the relations with the EU The last period was marked by several important events for Moldova. Starting with June 7, the Moldovan general Prosecutor’s Office is having a new adviser from the European Union. The Latvian Aivars Ostapko was hired in a contest organized by the EU Delegation to Moldova in order to support the General Prosecutor’s Office in the process of the institution reform and modernization. IPN is citing an official statement which says that the new advisor has 15 year­experience in the prosecution of Latvia and that he will be working with the Moldovan prosecutors to accelerate the institutional reforms. President of the European People’s Party, Joseph Daul, voiced concern about the health condition of the former Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, who has been on a hunger strike and who fainted during a court proceeding on June 21 st . Vlad Filat has been charged with bribery and abuse of power in connection with the theft of one billion lei from three Moldovan banks.“I am deeply concerned about the health of former Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, and the refusal of the authorities to guarantee him a fair and public trial,” wrote the European politician on Twitter. Vlad Filat denies the accusations against him, saying that he is the victim of his former governance partner, the democratic ruler, Vlad Plahotniuc. Vitaly Ignatiev who is in charge of foreign affairs in the separatist Transnistrian region said the international mediators in the negotiations on the Transnistrian conflict settlement are following“an utopian idea,” trying to maintain the“boundaries of the Soviet Moldova”. Ignatiev made the statement in an interview to Steffi Wurster, a German film director who is shooting a documentary about the peacekeeping mission on the Dniester. Vitaly Ignatiev also said that the negotiations are not going to succeed unless account is taken of the results of the 2006 referendum on the willingness of the region’s population to get independent and closer to Russia. A survey of the State Centre for Sociological Researches from Moscow conducted in early June in the separatist Transnistrian region reveals that 86 percent of respondents would like to join Russia, while only 9 percent are advocating for the independence of Transnistria. Reunification with Moldova is considered a good option by only 2 percent of respondents. At the same time, the survey shows that 24 percent of Transnistrians would vote in the so-called presidential elections from December for the president of the Supreme Soviet, Vadim Krasnoselskii, and only 11 percent would give their vote for the current Tiraspol leader, Yevgeny Shevchuk. The latter became very unpopular as a result of the deep economic crisis that the separatist region of Moldova has been facing in the past two years. The Moldovan Foreign Ministry submitted on June 2 nd a verbal note to the Russian Embassy challenging the Russian authorities to stop illegal recruitment on the territory of the Republic of Moldova of Moldovan citizens in the Russian Armed Forces. Citing recruiting actions registered recently in Ternovca of Slobodzia raion, as well as other previously registered similar cases, the MAEIE stated that such actions are contrary to the national and international law and calls again on Russia to withdraw its troops and ammunition from the Republic of Moldova, and also to transform the current peacekeeping operation into a multinational civil mission with an international mandate. Several ambassadors of the EU member states in Chisinau showed a red card to corruption in Moldova, a gesture borrowed from the symbolism of the European Football Championship that is taking place these days. The diplomats posed with the EU flag in the background, holding a red card saying“Red to corruption”. The action was supported by representatives of the civil society who adopted the same gesture on the social networks. Signe Burgstaller: The systemic high level corruption is a major obstacle for the political and economic development S weden is one of the biggest donors for Moldova and has played an important role in supporting the democratic reforms and Moldova’s European course, being one of the initiators of the Eastern Partnership. Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 6(124), june 2016 64, Sciusev str. MD-2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Tel-Fax:+373 22 21 09 86 Website: www.ape.md E-mail: office@ape.md