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 2024 NR. 1(215) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Oleg Serebrian, Vice Prime Minister for Reintegration: The money from taxes on the Transnistria goods will be spent on the Transnistrian region anyway 2. Editorial by Madalin Necsutu, journalist Balkan Insight: Perpetuation of Transnistria and the mirage of the“Fata Morgana” 3. Igor Munteanu, chairman of CUB: There exist special relationships that make Transnistrian lobbyists feel very comfortable in Chisinau 4. Veaceslav Ionita, expert with IDIS Viitorul: We are requesting payments, which is actually a double taxation of the Transnistrian economic agents News in Brief The new Foreign Minister, Mihai Popșoi, stated on January 30 that Moldova will take diplomatic steps and we will build international coalitions to convince the Russian Federation to withdraw its illegal military presence from the territory of the Republic of Moldova. He stated that the authorities in Chisinau will insist that Russia withdraw its army and ammunition from the left bank of the Dniester, in accordance with the commitment made during the OSCE Summit in Istanbul in 1999.“The withdrawal of the Russian army is Russia’s commitment at the Istanbul Summit in 1999. It is true, for over 20 years this has not happened. We will have to continue to insist, to take diplomatic steps, to build international coalitions that will convince the Russian Federation to give up this illegal military presence on the territory of the Republic of Moldova”, said Mihai Popsoi in the “In context” TV show. Popsoi added that, with the establishment of the European Integration Bureau, the tasks of the two entities responsible for foreign policy will be clearly defined. Cristina Gherasimov will lead the negotiations regarding the country’s accession to the European Union, while the good development of bilateral relations remains the priority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On January 30, the Republic of Moldova signed the application to join the Single Euro Payments Area(SEPA). The governor of the National Bank of Moldova, Anca Dragu, said that the accession of Moldova to SEPA represents the commitment and contribution of the National Bank of Moldova in the process of accession to the European Union.“With this system a payment could be made within a horizon of about 24 hours and instead of paying 20, 30 or 50 Euros per transfer, with this system we will pay 1 or 2 Euros. This will be good news for Moldovans in the diaspora who transfer money to the Republic of Moldova. This system is a step for consolidation towards the single market, and for Moldova it is a commitment that it can be part of the EU single market. There are two stages: the first is the evaluation part that EPS will do and the second part is the connection”, concluded the head of the BNM. SEPA includes 34 states in Europe, but also territories located outside the European Union, as a result of the conclusion of agreements aimed at the participation of financial institutions outside the EU in the SEPA scheme. Three pro-European parties consolidated their forces and created on January 29 an electoral block in the perspective of the 2024 presidential elections and the 2025 parliamentary elections. More precisely, the Dignity and Truth Platform Party, the League of Communes and Cities and the Party of Change signed a collaboration agreement. In the statement issued by the Political Bureaus, it is mentioned that the electoral block is preparing for the two elections this year and next year. Moreover, the three parties would have already identified a common candidate who will be supported in the presidential elections. A common political and electoral programme will be developed and be subject to public consultations after which the political bloc will prepare for the parliamentary elections in 2025. Also, the three parties urged the civil society who can bring a contribution for the benefit of the Moldovan citizens to join forces. Transnistria face to face with the European realities of the Republic of Moldova The building of the so-called Parliament of Transnistria. Photo credit: Madalin Necsutu Much has been discussed about what should be the course of the Republic of Moldova in the EU - with or without the separatist Transnistrian region until 2030, when the authorities of the Republic of Moldova set out to achieve the desired goal of integration into the EU. The EU did not put any pressure on the Republic of Moldova, and even several high-ranking officials said that there would be no problem for Moldova to join the EU even with this frozen conflict. However, it is hard to believe that the EU would want to integrate territories bundled with Russian soldiers. Therefore, the Republic of Moldova is also Monthly newsletter, No.1(215), January 2024 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: moldova.fes.de. E-mail: fes.moldova@fes.de