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 FEBRUARY 2021 NR.2(180) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Mădălin Necșuțu, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Claus Neukirch, the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova: “We are here to help both sides, and the last thing we want to do is to solve the conflict for them” 2. Editorial by Victor Chirilă, executive director of the Foreign Policy Association(APE): “Initiation of negotiations for identifying a comprehensive solution for the Transnistrian conflict, a risky initiative in the current context” 3. Ion Manole, Executive Director of Promo-LEX: “What is coming from the Transnistrian region is false, namely that human rights are respected” 4. Expert Opinion. Mihai Isac: “How the pandemic was used to strengthen political and military control on the left bank of the Dniester” News in Brief On February 27 th , Romania delivered to the Republic of Moldova the first batch of vaccine against COVID-19 in the amount of 21,600 doses.“Romania keeps its promise made by President Iohannis to the Republic of Moldova. Today we are delivering the first doses of vaccine, 21,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. The rest will follow in the coming months”, said Florin Citu in a clip posted on his Facebook account. President Maia Sandu thanked Romania for the humanitarian gesture.“This is the first tranche of the 200,000 doses of vaccine from the generous donation promised by Romania to the citizens of our country. Thank you, Romania! Thank you, European Union!”, wrote Maia Sandu on her Facebook account. On February 24 th , the Romanian government adopted an emergency ordinance by which Romania could send the first tranche as a donation to the Republic of Moldova of the 200,000 doses of vaccine promised in December 2020 by President Klaus Iohannis. The European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič thanked Romania for sending the 21,600 doses of vaccine to Chisinau. The Constitutional Court declared as unconstitutional, on February 23 rd , the decree of President Maia Sandu regarding the repeated appointment of Natalia Gavrilita’s candidacy for the position of Prime Minister. The judges of the Court requested that the President and the parliamentary factions resume consultations on the appointment of a Prime Minister. On the other hand, the Court refused to examine the request submitted by the Socialist deputies regarding Maia Sandu’s refusal to appoint Mariana Durleșteanu as Prime Minister. The Socialists claimed that Maia Sandu had violated the constitutional provisions. On February 11 th , the Parliament did not support Natalia Gavrilita’s candidacy for prime minister, and the same day, the Socialists, the deputies of the Shor Party and a group of deputies that had broken from the Democratic Party faction signed in favour of Mariana Durleșteanu’s candidacy. However, Maia Sandu has repeatedly appointed Natalia Gavrilita, and the Socialists have challenged the decree at the Constitutional Court. On February 28 th , the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, stated during his visit to Chisinau that the EU supports the fight against corruption in the Republic of Moldova and the political class that promotes such actions.“I am sending a clear message of support from the European Union to President Sandu’s firm focus on reforms, strengthening the rule of law and the fight against corruption,” the European official said. He added that in the last ten years, the EU has provided grants worth more than one billion euros and more than a thousand projects have been implemented across the country.“We have also discussed the prospect of early elections as the best chance to build a Parliament ready to support the president’s reforms. We expect all political actors to act in the interest of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova”, concluded Charles Michel. The Transnistrian case, frozen(also) by the coronavirus pandemic Mădălin Necșuțu The negotiations in the Transnistrian case have been delayed in the last year since the beginning of the health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, at times, the situation became tense, after the parties accused each other of violating the provisions agreed under the “Berlin Package” and the freedom of movement between the two banks of the Dniester. Tiraspol’s decision to install about 37 temporary checkpoints under the pretext of the pandemic has obstructed workers’ access to jobs and, in some cases, access to health care and supplies for localities in and around the Security Zone. Moreover, the political interests in the run­up to the presidential elections last autumn have further complicated the matters. In the eyes of the public opinion in Chisinau, there has been created the image of new arrangements on this sensitive issue from the perspective of narrow interests dictated by electoral reasons. Monthly newsletter, No.2(180), February 2021 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org