The intention of President Igor Dodon and the Chicu Government to open more airports in the territory of the Republic of Moldova represents a real danger to the national security and to the increasing influence, including the military of Russia in our country. In this opinion, security expert Dumitru Mânzărari explains, in an interview for radio “Europa Libera“, that, in fact, the Socialist government intends to open the Tiraspol airport “for military reasons, only to potentially allow the Russian Federation to strengthen its presence and influence in the Republic of Moldova and will also allow the economic and political independence of the Tiraspol regime to be increased”.
This is another example of how we can become vulnerable economic in front of Russia. One of the reasons for the creation of several airports invoked by the prime minister was that they would like to reduce prices, to create more competition in the field of air transport, which is a wrong one. As such logic will be correct when we have a demand that would be much higher than the existing offer, but if we examine the case carefully, it would be very difficult to be convinced that the demand for international flights in Moldova is much higher than the offer and Chisinau International Airport can’t handle requests. And under these conditions, if it were true, but I don’t agree that it is liberalizing the air transport market, creating favorable conditions over low costs would have been a much better solution than the one invoked by the prime minister, says Dumitru Mânzărari.
The expert perceives the proposal to open several international airports in the following way: firstly, conditions would have been created to convince the public of the need to open the airport in Tiraspol for international flights, which is now not allowed. The opening of the Tiraspol airport, if it will be done, will only be due to military considerations, only to allow the Russian Federation’s potential to strengthen its presence and influence in the Republic of Moldova and will also allow the economic and political independence of the Tiraspol regime to be increased. Also, some ideas were previously conveyed in the Chisinau press that it would be good to open an international airport in Comrat as well. I also believe that this statement by Mr. Chicu is used to prepare the ground for such initiatives. But again I repeat: The Republic of Moldova does not need more airports. And I still believe that as the economic and demographic situation develops, there is a risk that even Chisinau International Airport will not be used to its full capacity. Moldova, if it opens new airports, will consequently generate a potential for a foreign force to be able to quickly bring new military forces by air, “says the expert.
Due to the fact that we have no land borders with Russia, as Ukraine has, a hidden invasion, by proxy, by green men on the land path as it was in Ukraine, is less, but on the air path it is even very possible. Again, we are not talking about a classic invasion of the Russians with tanks, we are talking about the appearance of several hundred civilly dressed, armed people, representing the people, the national guard of the Transnistrian people or, you know, the Gagauz, who will be used to consolidate certain political statements. of the PSRM or their partners from Comrat. So, I’m talking about the most negative, worst possible scenarios, but under the current governance, their probability increases, said Mânzărari.
The ex Secretary of State of the Ministry of Defense also talks about possible military attacks from Russia in case the PSRM loses power: “The skeptics want to remind 2014 in Ukraine, when anyone would to say that Russia will aggressively attack Ukraine would have been sent to the psychiatrist, but this has happened. From a military point of view, and a large part of my expertise is military, I see this risk being increasing in the Republic of Moldova, after the reformation of the current composition of the government and after the recent statements of the prime minister of the Republic of Moldova and the Foreign Minister”.
In the same interview, the expert warns that Moldova could make more transfers and could become “much more vulnerable abroad than the Russian Federation”.
If we remember how the Yanukovych regime fell in 2014, this happened because it directly opposed the policies of proximity to Europe. It was a direct public resistance, it marked the annulment of the Association Agreement, it indicated that it wanted to be closer to Russia. And this served as a reason for the explosion of protests in Ukraine. This mistake was well understood especially by the russians and today the russians, advising Mr Dodon and the socialist government, would like to avoid a repetition of the Ukrainian scenario. That is why they will not openly say that, ready, I closed the door in the direction of approaching Europe, which actually happens, the door to Europe for Moldova was closed from here, from home, by the socialist government, but rhetorically and for the public, to use a metaphor, somehow the fact that the door was closed is kept hidden, says Mânzărari.
According to the expert, the authorities tell the citizens that we will continue the cooperation with the European Union, but behind the curtain, behind the scenes, they are working hard to block any initiatives with the European Union and to make us stronger with the Russian Federation, to make us more vulnerable by the Russian Federation through various economic and political initiatives. Phrases like that there is nothing serious about strengthening relations with Russia, the fact that our national interest is to explore all possibilities, including with Russia, these are explanations for implementing policies that are close to the Russian Federation, especially economic ones. Any economic relationship, any economic contract with a Russian company creates a potential vulnerability for an attack by Russia against Moldova, because all russian companies are controlled and directed by the russian government, says Mânzărari.
Source: Sursa: moldova.europalibera.org