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 JANUARY 2022 NR.1(191) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Vladimir Socor, foreign policy analyst,„Jamestown Foundation”: „Russia will not invade Ukraine, and if it does make a minor incursion, that will aim at Ukraine’s domestic policy” 2. Editorial by Mădălin Necșuțu, journalist“Balkan Insight” and“Euronews”: „Under the spectre of war: reason for the panic or an opportunity for Moldova?” 3. Mihai Isac, political expert and journalist„Karadeniz Press”: „Moldova is a testing ground for the federalization strategies that Moscow wants to implement in Ukraine” 4. Natalia Stercul, expert with the Foreign Policy Association of Moldova(APE): „Dark clouds of war over Ukraine: main consequences for regional and international security” News in Brief The gas bills for Moldovan citizens will increase by 37%, after the National Agency for Energy Regulation(ANRE) accepted on January 29th the request of Moldovagaz, a subsidiary of Gazprom, to increase the price of one cubic meter of gas from 11.08 to 15.18 MDL. Given this increase, the experts also anticipate a rise in the cost of goods, services, fuel, and electricity. On the other hand, the Gavrilita Government promised to pay new compensations to the citizens. Thus, the Executive will compensate for the household consumers 79.8% of the difference resulting from the price increase for the first 50 cubic meters consumed per month, and for the next 100 cubic meters- 69.5% of the difference, so that the price paid by the population remains 6.8 MDL for the first 50 cubic meters, and 7.9 MDL for the next 100 cubic meters consumed. On February 1st, the head of state, Maia Sandu, proposed amending the current legislation to make it possible to implement the mechanism of extended confiscation of assets acquired through acts of corruption. In this regard, the Presidency sent to the Legislature an initiative aimed at improving the legal framework in this area. “Our efforts to improve legislation to fight corruption will continue. Efforts to reform the judiciary will continue so that the legal norms are applied for all, without exception”, said Maia Sandu. In Maia Sandu’s view, the current law contains obstacles that complicates the procedure of confiscating the property of those who got illicitly enriched and gives them the opportunity to keep their fortunes. Thus, those who have committed illegalities in the sense of illicit enrichment remain in possession of assets through their transfer to third parties. Moldova wants to join the Three Seas Initiative, a platform that brings together 12 EU member states between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas, stated the Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu at a news conference with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Radman, on a visit to Chisinau. The official mentioned the objective of modernizing the Chisinau- Ungheni railway section, considering its passage on the European gauge, but also projects on roads, energy, renewable energy development, bridges over the Prut River, telecommunications infrastructure.“So that our citizens have faster and easier access to the European space. Through this prism, we want to join any initiative that allows us to improve the infrastructure, make people’s lives easier with a view to a more modern and prosperous country. We are interested in participating in everything related to infrastructure development in Central and Eastern Europe”, underlined the minister. Republic of Moldova, an unarmed spectator on the eve of a possible war The volatile security situation on Ukraine’s borders, where Russia has brought in military and heavy weapons, remains a nebula in which military and political analysts and experts are still trying to anticipate what will Ukrainian soldiers in a combat training. Photo credit atlanticcouncil.org happen next. What is certain is that the Kremlin administration is trying a game of force with the army at the door and a sheet of demands on the table. The West does not seem at all flexible to Russia’s demands to be repressed at the table of the world’s great powers at the expense of a former satellite – Ukraine – seen as Russia’s lifeblood. Beyond these threats, Ukraine is positioning itself as a state that does not want to be Monthly newsletter, No.1(191), January 2022 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org