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 MARCH 2020 NR.3(169) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Sorina Ştefârţă, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Cornel Ban, associate professor of international political economy: “I see three solutions for the Republic of Moldova: launching a tax reform, accessing IMF funds and a controlled devaluation of the national currency” 2. Editorial by Josep Borrell and Olivér Várhelyi: “An Eastern Partnership that delivers for all” 3. Marcel Spatari, economist, director of Syndex Romania: “We urgently need a new employee protection mechanism” 4. Expert Opinion. Dionis Cenușa: “The effects of the Pandemic- between European solidarity and the Eastern neighbourhood’s resilience” News in Brief The European Union will allocate 140 million Euros to the Eastern Partnership member states, including the Republic of Moldova, for urgent needs in combating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 700 mln Euros will go to reduce the social and economic effects caused by the crisis in the six countries. The decision is part of the EU's overall response to the coronavirus pandemic."These are very difficult times not only for the EU, but also for the partner countries. We must do everything we can to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on human life and livelihoods. Today's package responds both to the immediate needs of health systems and to the long-term needs of the most vulnerable social groups and small and medium-sized enterprises that are the backbone of the economies of the six countries," said Olivér Várhelyi, the EU Commissioner for the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. Among the immediate needs established by the European Commission is the support for the healthcare system in the Republic of Moldova, by providing medical devices and equipment for personnel, such as laboratory kits, ventilators, masks, goggles, safety suits. Earlier, the United States also announced that, despite the major difficulties it faces, Washington will provide our country with 1.2 million dollars to strengthen the capabilities of laboratories and communication in risk situations. In recent weeks, the Republic of Moldova has received several humanitarian aid to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, donations coming from Switzerland through UNDP, China, the Russian Federation, Poland, Iasi, Soros Foundation. The World Bank will also provide businesses with additional funding for ongoing and new projects to support them both in the context of the pandemic and in the post-crisis period. Recently, the WB board approved the mobilization of about 150 billion dollars over the next 15 months to help the developing countries mitigate the impact on the economy. President Igor Dodon does not rule out the postponement of the presidential elections due in autumn, taking into account the assumptions of the World Health Organization, according to which a new wave of the COVID-19 pandemic could be repeated."If in the autumn we have a situation as it is now and the state of emergency will be instituted, it is obvious that the elections will be postponed. But I hope very much this will not happen", said the head of state. In the context of this proposal, the honorary president of the PDM, Dumitru Diacov, launched the idea of ​r​ eturning to the system of electing the president of the country in Parliament."Let's not talk about postponing the election, but about returning to the election of the president in Parliament. The presidential institution must become a factor of stability, political balance and national consensus. The leaders of the parties must fight for the Executive, for the position of prime minister and for the possibility of carrying out the electoral programme, but also for the right to form the parliamentary majority, which ensures the activity of the Government with normative acts”, wrote the veteran of the Moldovan politics on Facebook. COVID-19: the litmus paper of the world governments Sorina Ștefârță What seemed like a science fiction Hollywood movie script two months ago(a film on this topic was shot, by the way, a few years ago), and a reality still unlikely in our part of the world only one month ago, today has become a reality we face daily and which we will have to learn to live with. COVID-19. The new coronavirus attacked like an invisible weapon and, in just a few months, it has knelt the entire planet, causing the worst humanitarian crisis since World War II, and- as economists are anticipating ­an unprecedented economic recession in all areas and in all countries. The most economically and socially developed regions, including the countries of the European Union and Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 3(169), MARCH 2020 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