The new Moldova minister of Defense, Pavel Voicu visit to Moscow: How the Pro-Kremlin press reflected the event
The minister of Defense, Pavel Voicu paid a working visit to Moscow at the end of July, where he met with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. The meeting of the two officials was commented by the president Igor Dodon who noted that a meeting between the Moldovan and Russian Defense ministers had not taken place in the last 10-15 years and in the last two-three years such a meeting was impossible because of the Chisinau Government policy.
Despite the absence of such official meetings and defense negotiations between the two countries, minister Pavel Voicu declared that “Russia is a reliable partner of Moldova”. IPAH qualifies this declaration as misinformation with elements of propaganda considering the fact that Voicu is an appointee of Socialist Party.
Viorel Cibotaru, executive director of the European Institute for Political Studies of Moldova (IESPM)
“Mr. Voicu’s statement does not reflect the real state of things, but is rather an expression of” wishful thinking “, that is an illusion. First, the whole package of bilateral relations agreements in the military field has been preserved for at least five or six years. Secondly, under no circumstances can you name an ally from a military point of view someone who occupies part of your territory! It is a direct threat confirmed by legislation and recognized as such by all international forums.
Three, purely formal, as a neutral state, by definition you have no military allies, you cannot have them. I think it was an uninspired, inexperienced expression of sympathy and gratitude towards Russian military officials, generated by the political environment in which the new Defense Minister has been living for a long time. I suspect, at the same time, that it was a political gesture broken out of context. “
To what extent would be possible to cooperate in the military field with NATO and Russia?
“I think this is not only possible but its necessary at least a dialogue and exchange of views on a number of topics, starting with the pensions of former military and honoring war veterans, continuing with all aspects of the status and presence of troops and the peacekeeping contingent on the left bank of the Dniester and negotiating their complete withdrawal from the territory of the Republic Moldova, etc. “
Media reaction:
“KP in Moldova: Министр обороны РМ Павел Войку встретился с Сергеем Шойгу: “Россия – надежный союзник для Молдовы”
Most news on pro-russian information portals as kp.md, aif.md, sputnik.md, actualitati.md held a single position, this of Moldova’s proximity to Russia. The attitude of the Minister Pavel Voicu and the statements about the “interim” partnership with Moscow create a false public perception about the relations of the two countries in the field of defense, relations that have not evolved in the last ten years.
Russia Today: «Сближение произойдёт не сразу»: как будет развиваться сотрудничество России и Молдавии в сфере обороны
Russia Today writes: “One of the most important items on the Moldovan-Russian security agenda is the situation in the Transnistrian region, where Russian peacekeepers are deployed. But the Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova have a different opinion. As Igor Dodon previously stated, Russia’s mission in the region is the guarantor of peace.”
“Attempts to question this are counterproductive. Everyone recognizes this and everyone understands that peace in the Transnistrian region cannot be assured without Russian troops. For this reason, it cannot be about the phase-out of this quota from the region, ”said Igor Dodon at a press conference, in Moscow last year.
RT refers to some “experts” who stated:
“Many members of the Socialist Party of the Republic of Moldova understand that the withdrawal of Russian peacekeeping troops from the Transnistrian region will worsen the situation.”
RT claims that one of the experts, Alexandr Shevcenco, is one of the main expert of the Russian Institute of Strategic Research. If we access the institution’s website under the heading “We and the Media”, a number of pro-Kremlin publications appear, including “Izvestia”, “Sputnik”, “RIA Novosti” and “RT”.
At the press conference held on August 16, Minister of Defense Pavel Voicu said that a dialogue with the Russian Federation in the field of defense is needed. Voicu said that the negotiations with Moscow in the field of defense in 2010-2013 were intentionally blocked.
News on topic:
1. LEAHU: “If a military agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the Russian Federation will be signed, all the agreements we have with NATO and the EU will be canceled”
