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 SEPTEMBER 2021 NR.9(187) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Mădălin Necșuțu, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Mihai Isac, political expert and journalist"Karadeniz Press": „Moscow-Tiraspol political-electoral cleavage, the roadmap for Donbass” 2. Editorial by Mădălin Necșuțu, journalist"Balkan Insight" and"Euronews": „Transnistria, a bunch of unresolved issues” 3. Igor Munteanu, former diplomat and political analyst: „Russia should be encouraged to understand the imminence of its decision to withdraw from Transnistria and of the increasing costs internationally and bilaterally” 4. Angela Grămadă, Director of Experts for Security and Global Affairs Association(ESGA): „5+ 2 format- why will its resuscitation be very difficult?” Știri pe scurt: President Maia Sandu announced that the Moldovan citizens will be able, starting from 2022, to be officially employed in Germany for seasonal work. Most such jobs are in agriculture. The announcement was made by Maia Sandu in a press conference with the President of Germany, Frank­Walter Steinmeier, who is in the Republic of Moldova for a two-day visit, between September 29-30. Germany has an estimated shortage of seasonal workers in 2020 of around 300,000 workers in agriculture, especially for the fruit and vegetable picking, and German farmers are looking for such seasonal workers. Many of the seasonal workers in Germany currently come from Romania and Poland. Germany has a lot of seasonal workers in EU countries and it also needs workers from third countries. Prime Minister Natalia Gavriliță paid her first visit to Brussels between September 27-28, where she discussed with European officials about Moldova’s reform plans and the reforms it has been implementing, but also about the decision to disburse the second tranche of the EU OMNIBUS assistance to the Republic of Moldova. It is about an amount of 50 million euros, non-reimbursable funds, money that will arrive in Chisinau at the beginning of October. Natalia Gavrilița has discussed in Brussels about justice and anti-corruption reform, including the investigation of the 1 billion USD bank fraud, the management of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic and social support package needed to relaunch economic growth.“The EU is open to continue the support of the Republic of Moldova and of the ambitious reform agenda it proposes. Moldova is an important and priority partner for us”, said in his turn the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, during the meeting. On September 29, President Maia Sandu declared at the Moldova-Germany Bilateral Forum that the Republic of Moldova wants to attract as many foreign investors as possible to the country and that it wants the state to be a partner of businessmen.“The state of the Republic of Moldova wants to be the partner of businessmen, not their guardian,” said the head of state. According to the president, Moldova offers more opportunities for the business environment and now is the opportunity to capitalize on them together. In turn, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had found a well­established German business community in Moldova. He said he has the approval of the federal government for development cooperation resources of about ten million euros, through which Germany wants to give a boost to the reforms initiated by Maia Sandu. Germany remains one of the most important partners of the Republic of Moldova, ranking third as volume of trade, exceeding in the first half of the year the amount of 341 million dollars. More than 400 economic agents with German capital operate in Moldova. Transnistria at the crossroads: present and future forecasts Transnistria has got into public attention in recent months, following a series of recent events related to the small secessionist region across the Dniester. First of all, it is about the ban imposed by Ukraine on cars with Transnistrian numbers to run on its territory from September 1. Then the success of the Sheriff Tiraspol football team that makes no secret of supporting the separatist regime in Tiraspol and the region's independence in several announcements placed on the club's website. Last but not least, Russia's organization of a record number of polling stations- 27 in the Transnistrian region for the recent elections to the Moscow State Duma- despite the protests, is really poorly formulated by the Moldovan diplomacy. While the traffic ban in Ukraine and the elections for the State Duma seem to be in line with the political realities in the region, the image success of Tiraspol through football is a premiere. One that comes to fill the accounts of the Sheriff holding, a monopolistic trust that has monopolized the business environment in the region. It is run by two controversial figures- Viktor Gusan Monthly newsletter, No.9(187), September 2021 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org