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 2025 NR. 2(228) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Oleg Serebrian, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration: Russia’s artificial energy crisis is a pressure mechanism through which Moscow is trying to destabilize Moldova 2. Editorial by Madalin Necsutu, journalist with the TVR Moldova: How long can the Tiraspol regime survive in these uncertain times? 3. Ion Manole, director of Promo-LEX: People in the Transnistrian region should also be able to get information from alternative sources 4. Natalia Stercul, director of APE: The energy crisis, a stage in the Kremlin’s preparations for the parliamentary elections in Moldova 5. Stefan Gligor, leader of the Party of Change: The government was obliged to ensure that the regime in Tiraspol is put in a position to accept market realities News in Brief The Republic of Moldova has come a long way closer to the European Union, but if, after this year’s parliamentary elections, pro-Russian parties take office, Chisinau risks losing the 1.9 billion euro in financial support from the European Union, Romanian MEP Siegfried Mureșan said in an interview published on February 23 by TVR Moldova.“I say very clearly: if an anti-European government were to come in, by absurdity, everything that has been achieved risks being lost. Just as Viktor Orban in Hungary, by attacking the European Union, lost 20 billion euros in European funds, the same would happen in Chisinau. I don’t want this to happen, but if in the Republic of Moldova there was an anti-European government that violated European rules, the EU would legally no longer be able to provide this funding,” said the European official. The Romanian MEP also underlined that the first money from the€1.9 billion package would be transferred in April, while the next tranche in July. Moldova at an inflection point: reintegration of the Transnistrian region, between opportunity and drudgery The Republic of Moldova can hold parliamentary elections this year from mid-July to early October, Deputy Chairman of the Central Electoral Commission Pavel Postica told the Realitatea TV.“This would be the three-month period during which, according to the law, ordinary elections are to be organized. From my personal point of view, the later, the better, so that we, the Central Electoral Commission, can prepare well for the upcoming elections,” said Pavel Postica. The political and legal decision belongs to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, said the CEC deputy chairman.“We have to take into account that after every election certain shortcomings are identified, including in the law, things that are somehow interpretable, unclear and need to be adjusted,” Pavel Postica said. The building of the Supreme Soviet(the so-called Parliament) in Tiraspol. Photo: Cornelia Cozonac Amnesty International Moldova demanded justice for Ukraine and compensation for the victims of the war at a protest on 24 February in front of the Russian Embassy in Chisinau. The demonstrators chose to protest in silence as a sign of mourning for the lives lost in the war waged by Moscow.“Our main message: we demand justice for the victims. Children, civilians have suffered throughout these years. Civilian infrastructure has been destroyed. According to United Nations data, some 2,500 children were killed or seriously injured. More than 1,500 schools were completely destroyed or severely damaged,” said Veaceslav Tofan, Executive Director of Amnesty International Moldova. He added that the protest is a wake-up call about“the fragility of fundamental rights in the face of an aggressor and in the face of such a strong boot of the occupier”. The Republic of Moldova is facing historic moments that it will have to manage carefully, but also courageously. Not only is an unprecedented window of opportunity open for the Republic of Moldova in terms of EU accession, but also an extremely important one, for the first time, to resolve the Transnistrian issue. For the first time in its history, the Republic of Moldova has more leverage than ever before to put an end to the situation in this region that runs on free Russian gas. Thanks to Ukraine’s intervention, Chisinau now has the bread and the knife in this business called Transnistria. With the completion of the Isaccea-Vulcanesti­Chisinau high-voltage line, Tiraspol will lose all its political and economic trump cards in its Monthly newsletter, No.2(228), February 2025 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: moldova.fes.de. E-mail: fes.moldova@fes.de