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Moldova and Romania have experienced many ups and downs in their relationship since Moldova's independence in 1991. Pan-Romanianism has been a consistent part of Moldovan politics, and was adopted in the Popular Front of Moldova's platform in 1992. Romania's relations with neighbour Moldova have been strained since 1994. Most of Moldova was part of Romania during the interwar period and linguists generally agree that the Moldovan language is identical to Romanian (and by almost all accounts, the same as Romanian). However, the Moldovans have been ambivalent about whether they consider themselves Romanians or Moldovans. Early signs that Romania and Moldova might unite after both countries achieved emancipation from communist rule quickly faded. Romania remains interested in Moldovan affairs, especially that country's civil conflict with the breakaway republic of Transnistria. However, the two countries have been unable even to reach agreement on a basic bilateral treaty; Romania is insistent (against determined Moldovan resistance) that such a treaty would have to refer to Romania and Moldova's 'special relationship'.
Introduction
The historical traditions, the cultural identity of Romanians on either side of the Prut and the long history of common statehood command privileged relations between Romania and the young Moldovan state. The natural desire for unification, evinced by many Romanians in both countries, is the outcome of a complex historical process which was brutally interrupted in 1812 and in 1940 by the invading armies of a big neighbouring power. It is no less true, however, that the current political realities require a new approach of the relations with Moldova.
The relationship between Romania and Moldova began to deteriorate shortly after Moldova's independence. Because of their different histories, with Moldova part of the Russian Empire and later the Soviet Union, Moldovans and Romanians have different attitudes about basic social and political issues, such as the extent of social payments (i.e. welfare). Many Romanians see the Moldovans as "Russified" and hold the condescending view that they are in need of assistance to overcome their cultural disabilities. This has been a source of growing resentment among the majority of Moldovans.
Two States, One Nation?
Romania's official policy toward Moldova is "one nation, two states," based on shared history, language, culture and traditions. Many Moldovans support unification. Many Romanians and Moldovans consider that they belong to the same 'nation', on grounds of their largely identical language, religion and culture. But they live in two separate states. The majority of Moldovans consider themselves to be Romanians living in a second Romanian state.
However, while some Moldovans see their separate statehood as a temporary anomaly and expect eventual reunification with Romania, others (along with Moldova's minorities of Slavs and Gagauzi) are committed to maintaining the separate state. Moreover, as many as a million (40 percent) of Moldovans have availed themselves of the right to obtain Romanian passports.
The unresolved question of identity is fundamental to the sensitive, ambivalent quality of Romanian-Moldovan relations as 'international' relations.
Recognition by Romania
Romania was the first state to recognize the independent Republic of Moldova – only a few hours, in fact, after the declaration of independence was issued by the Moldovan parliament. Within a few days accords were signed on the establishment of embassies and consulates. Within a few weeks, visa and passport-free border regimes were established, allowing Romanian and Moldovan citizens to travel from one country to the other with identity cards only. Already in 1991, Romania started to grant textbooks to Moldovan schools and libraries and began to offer scholarships to Moldovan students for studying at Romanian high schools and universities. Romania was the first state which recognized the Republic of Moldova, after the proclamation of the state independence on August 27, 1991. From the declaration of the Romanian Government made on that occasion it clearly resulted that, in the opinion of the authorities in Bucharest, Moldova's independence was considered as a form of emancipation from Moscow's tutelage and a step towards the reunification with Romania:
"The proclamation of an independent Romanian state in the territories annexed by force, following the secret understanding set through the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, represents a decisive step towards the elimination, in a peaceful way, of its unfortunate consequences directed against the rights and the interests of the Romanian people".
On April 14, 1994, the Chamber of Deputies of Romania's Parliament adopted a Declaration of protest against the decision of the Parliament in Chisinau to vote in favour of Moldova's adhering to CIS. Referring to the legitimate act of the Moldovan Parliament through which the latter "was conducting as it wished its relations with other states", the protest of the Chamber of Deputies in Romania brings serious accusations to the legislative body of the other equal, sovereign and independent state:
"The vote of the Parliament in Chisinau regrettably reconfirms the criminal Pact and irresponsibly cancels the right of the Romanian nation to live within the integrity of its historical and spiritual space... Through the geographical position, through culture, history and traditions, the natural place of our brothers from across the Prut is, undoubtedly, together with us, in the great family of the European nations and by no means in an Euro-Asian structure".
The legislative body in Bucharest accuses the fundamental state institution of a country, which it has recognized as independent, of irresponsibility, of confirming criminal acts and it decides upon the place the Moldovan state should take in the configuration of international relations. That makes the way Romania understands to observe the UN and CSCE principles, in its relations with Moldova, a controversial one. No wonder that the relations between Romania and Moldova have continued to deteriorate after the Declaration of Independence of the Moldovan state.
Unification of Romania with Moldova
When the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact was signed, the territories between the Prut and the Nistru belonged to Romania. Moreover, the mentioning of the "rights and interests of the Romanian people" clearly expresses the objective of the reunification. Since the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Moldova many references were made in Romania to the necessity of eliminating the consequences of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. As a matter of fact, in June 1991, Romania's Parliament adopted a declaration through which the above mentioned Pact was declared null and void. Moreover, in the second half of 1991, high Romanian dignitaries, as for instance the minister of foreign affairs at that time Adrian Nastase, looked upon reunification in very optimistic terms, identifying also a model in this respect: the German model. Obviously, the international juridical framework for the achievement of this desideratum was taken into account, namely the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference for Security and Cooperation in Europe that stipulates in the first of the ten principles' text concerning the regulation of international relations:
"They (the states-a.n.) consider that their frontiers can be changed, in accordance with international law, by peaceful means and by agreement (a.e.)". The ten principles of the Final Act were reconfirmed by the Charter of Paris for A New Europe in November 1990, and were to be also reiterated in the Document of the CSCE Summit in Helsinki, The Challenges of Change, in 1992.
Naturally, the idea of Union has its legitimacy. The Romanians on the other side of the Prut should benefit by Romania's whole support in consolidating the common spiritual space. But the idea of Union cannot be fostered by incendiary statements of the Romanian Parliament and Government with respect to the decisions of the legitimate Moldovan authorities. Such statements seriously harm Romania's endeavours to adhere to the Euro-Atlantic institutions which make renunciation of territorial claims and observance of international law and of the principles on which institutionalized Europe has been built an essential condition of integration. Moreover, such statements damage the very relations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, the latter being thus justified to consider, as shown in the Declaration of the Government of the Republic of Moldova on the Government of Romania's Declaration of August 1, 1994, that Romania nurtures the ambition to "take the posture of an elder brother entitled to give advice and to practice the same policy of dictate and supremacy".
Dual citizenship
Romanian President Traian Basescu recently estimated that the total number of Moldovans seeking to obtain Romanian citizenship could exceed 1,000,000. In the autumn of 2006, the Unionist movement has gained some momentum as the subject was more regularly discussed in prominent Romanian language newspapers and as many Moldovans have applied for Romanian passports in August and September of 2006, alone. Meanwhile, between 1991 and 2006, 95,000 Moldovans have obtained Romanian citizenship . According to Romanian president Traian Băsescu, by the end of 2006, 530,000 demands from Moldovan citizens have been written, requesting Romanian citizenship . Băsescu has also mentioned that the real number is higher as many of these demands are signed by not just one person but in many cases by entire families . In a subsequent televised interview, Băsescu further explained that so far, based on the over 500,000 demands, about 800,000 Moldovans have requested Romanian citizenship and that it is estimated that by the end of 2007, this number will increase to 1,500,000, which is almost 50% of Moldova's population. . However, it is important to note that requesting Romanian citizenship does not automatically infer one's Unionist view. Hence, it is unclear whether the relationship between the citizenship demands and Unionism is a strong one or whether there are other causes for Moldovans seeking Romanian citizenship. In 2007, the President of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, declared in an interview that the two languages are identical, but said that Moldovans should have the right to call their language for Moldovan. Oleg Serebrean, the leader of the political party Social-Liberal, declared that if the Moldovans and the Romanians decided to unite, neither USA, nor Russia, could put a stop to such a union.
Free trade agreement between Romania and the Republic of Moldova
Romania and the Republic of Moldova, recalling their intention to participate actively in the process of economic integration in Europe, Considering the importance of the traditional, historical and spiritual links existing between Romania and the Republic of Moldova and the common values they share, and recognizing that Romania and the Republic of Moldova wish to strengthen these links and to establish close and lasting cooperation and economic integration relations, Reaffirming their commitment to pluralistic democracy based on the rule of law, of human rights and fundamental human freedoms, Firmly convinced that this Agreement will promote the increasing of bilateral mutually advantageous trade exchanges, will foster to the creation of enlarged free-trade area, thus constituting an important contribution to the European integration process.
See also
- Political movements for unification of Romania with Moldova
- Romanian president's proposal for union of Moldova with Romania
- Plans for unification of Romania with Moldova
External links
References
- Template:Ro icon Varujan Vosganian, Cat ne costa idealul reintregirii? (How much does the ideal of reintegration cost us?), Ziua, 5 October 2006
- Politician moldovean: Unirea Moldovei cu Romania ar putea avea loc in 2009