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 2022 NR.2(192) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Interview with general Ion Costas, ex-minister of Defence: “We fought with the separatism in Transnistria fuelled and promoted by Moscow” 2. Editorial by Lina Grau, journalist Radio Free Europe, member of APE: “Transnistria- from a marginal issue to a matter of concern” 3. Interview with Igor Munteanu, political analyst IDIS Viitorul: “The war in Ukraine has found Moldova unprepared” 4. Expert Opinion by Veaceslav Berbeca, political expert, IDIS Viitorul: “Rationality with the irrational world” News in Brief On March 3rd, the Moldovan leadership signed the application for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union.“Today we have signed the application for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the EU. It is addressed to Emanuel Macron, President of France, the country that now holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. We will submit the application in the coming days to Brussels. The Republic of Moldova must have a clear European path. We are ready to do everything possible to achieve this fundamental national goal. The citizens have chosen this European path, they see their future in the EU”, said the head of state.“We know the steps we need to take and we are ready to work. Step by step, we will definitely go through all the stages”, the head of state declared in a briefing after signing the historical document. The application was submitted on March 4th to Brussels. The secessionist regime in Tiraspol stated on March 4th that the submission of Moldova's application for EU membership changes the details of the Transnistrian settlement and the relationship between Chisinau and Tiraspol and puts an end to the negotiation process between the parties.“We consider the submission by the Moldovan leadership of an application for EU membership to be a geopolitical decision that will lead to a change in international borders and spheres of influence in the region and a radical change in the circumstances of the final settlement of the Moldovan-Transnistrian relations” says a statement of the so-called Tiraspol diplomacy. The secessionist regime in Tiraspol said that the authorities want to transfer the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova to the supranational bodies in Brussels and“the transition to the final military­political and economic development of the territory of the Republic of Moldova by the West. In response, the Chisinau Reintegration Bureau replied that the Transnistrian region is a direct beneficiary of the many facilities and assistance programs offered by the European Union, and that these programs will increase in size and benefit for all the country's inhabitants. The European Union announced on March 3rd that it will provide 20 million euros to the Republic of Moldova for managing the refugee crisis and providing immediate assistance to the Ukrainian citizens who have to leave their country. The announcement was made by European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, who was visiting Chisinau with the High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell. According to the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Moldova, 15 million euros will be provided to the Government of the Republic of Moldova for managing the flow of refugees, and five million will be provided in the form of humanitarian aid for Ukrainians who have found shelter in the Republic of Moldova. 30 years since the Dniester War, the first days of the invasion of Ukraine As a bellicose dejà-vu, the Republic of Moldova has been witnessing for several days now a war that no one has imagined possible. Having gone through a similar experience, but on an incomparably smaller scale than what Moldovan military during the Dniester War is happening in Ukraine these days, the Republic of Moldova has rather quietly commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Dniester War, which killed more than 1,100 people, while thousands were wounded and disabled as a result of the fightings officially started on 2 March 1992, which ended on 21 July1992. In fact, tensions have been smouldering since 1990. The USSR collapsed under its own weight and inability to manage a clay­footed colossus, but Monthly newsletter, No.2(192), February 2022 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org