Foreign Policy Association together with Friedrich­Ebert-Stiftung offer you a newsletter on foreign policy and European integration issues of the Republic of Moldova. The newsletter is part of the “Foreign Policy Dialogue” joint project. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN APRIL 2018 NR.2(144) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Sorina Ştefârţă, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Editorial by Vlad Lupan: “Temporary tactic of the Transnistrian conflict” 2. Dumitru Mînzarari: “This format designed when we were alone in the face of Russia is a compromise” 3. Opinion of political parties: “For a peaceful solution within the Republic of Moldova” News in Brief The United States are supporting the reforms implemented by the Republic of Moldova and are encouraging the authorities to continue the modernization course of the country. Statements were made by American dignitaries with whom Andrian Candu spoke during his recent working visit to Washington. The Moldovan official has been assured that the USA will continue to provide support to our country in getting closer to the EU and USA. Similarly, the Friendship Group of the USA Congress House of Representatives assured the Moldovan authorities that the US Congress Resolution supporting Moldova’s association with the EU, and also demanding from Russia to withdraw its troops and munitions from the Transnistrian region, has the necessary support to be voted. Reducing corruption, investigating bank fraud, reforming justice and securing independent media remain the arrears of the Republic of Moldova in the implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU. This is the conclusion of the recent reform assessment visit to Chisinau and Kiev by the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee. The European MPs have stressed that the EU will continue to provide support to the Republic of Moldova. They also advocated increased trade, better transport connections and energy interconnections with the EU, in order to support the country’s socio-economic development. The new electoral law was among the issues discussed. “The most serious security risks in the region are generated by frozen conflicts and foreign military presence,” Prime Minister Pavel Filip said at the 11th edition of the Security Forum in Kiev. The prime minister reiterated that the Republic of Moldova advocates the unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory and the transformation of the current peacekeeping forces from the Nistru into a multinational civilian mission with international mandate. Elaboration and adoption of a special legal status for Transnistria with respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country remains a priority. The Republic of Moldova and Romania are the favourite targets for Russian televisions- the tenth and third place respectively on the top of the European countries with negative coverage of Russian televisions, according to a study by Ukraine Crisis Media Center. According to the authors who monitored the main Russian TV stations between 1 July 2014 and 31 December 2017(after the annexation of Crimea and the outbreak of the war in eastern Ukraine), most European states are described by Russian television as an embodiment of absolute evil, except for Switzerland, Montenegro and Belarus. The number of negative news has increased by 87% from July 2014 to December 2017. The main negative topics used by Russian televisions are: horrors of daily life in the West, decay of Europe, terrorism, protests, refugee crisis, and sanctions against Russia. Research data show that Romania is often mentioned in topics about the Republic of Moldova. Transnistria-2018: are we moving or... deluding? Sorina Stefarta The political spring in the Republic of Moldova this year has been marked by the Transnistrian issue. It started with Franco Frattini, the Special Representative of the Italian OSCE Chairmanship, whose statements on the(im) possibility of withdrawing Russian troops from the Transnistrian region have triggered harsh criticism by civil society experts and not only. Then Mr. Frattini was in Chisinau, he took into account the criticism(they say so) and ­at least officially – has changed his position. Following a meeting with the OSCE High Representative, Prime Minister Pavel Filip has talked about a“common optimistic message on both sides” and about a possible resumption of the negotiations in the‘5+ 2’ format in May. In less than a month, Chisinau and Tiraspol signed the protocol decision on neutral car plates, which gives the citizens on the left bank of the Nistru the freedom to travel abroad with their own cars- a decision welcomed by the EU, but domestically considered by many a big failure. At its last meeting in April, the Government approved the Action Plan for the Reintegration of the Country for 2018. So, officially it works well. Unofficially... we may be lured by the illusion of the movement, while de facto we may stand in place, and more, we may regress. About “where we find ourselves” in the Transnistrian issue, we are inviting you to read further. Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 2(144), April 2018 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