The European Union is a dream for many Moldavians. Three quarters of the population has a positive attitude towards a possible EU membership. But currently the country is still far from that.

At this moment Moldova is at a political crossroads. But will it move into the direction of the EU?

Wolfgang Behrendt is head of political and economic department of the Delegation of the European Commission in Chisinau. He believes Moldova is on the right track. Igor Munteanu, director of the influential social-economic think-thank IDIS Viitorul believes that the EU should put more effort into the monitoring of the reforms.

Political reforms

Behrendt: “There are improvements in this country, but it goes step by step. The big problem for Moldova is not to create the laws, but to implement them. I believe there is a lack of well qualified people. And those who are skilled leave the country, or work for a company which pays more than the government.”

Munteanu: “The EU should put much more pressure on the reforms of governmental institutions. In the past years they were supporting political figures who promise change, like what they did with president Voronin. That is obviously not working. One of the big problems right now, with reforming the institution, is the fact that the power of the presidential clan is everywhere.”

Behrendt doesn’t want to comment on the presidential influence within society. “But there has to be a change in mentality on all political levels. In this country things have gone on a certain way for many years, and now they have to do it on our terms. The elite in the top knows what the EU wants from them. But to get it all the way down, into all levels of the bureaucracy, that is another story.”

Totalitarian state

During the demonstrations in April, people got killed, journalists reporting on the scene were beaten. In the aftermath people became terrified of the police, students got tortured and NGOs got checked by financial police. That doesn’t seem like a move towards EU, but more a move towards authoritarianism.

Behrendt: “I don’t believe this country is going in the direction of an authoritarian state like Belarus. Remember that Moldova is a country in transformation, with all the problems that come with that. Like a weak and fragile state. It is slowly moving in the right direction, and sometimes it moves back.”

Munteanu isn’t that positive. He is afraid that his country might end up on the wrong track. “This moment, right after the April elections, is a crossroad for Moldova. Now the EU should stick to its principals. If it promotes prosperity and democracy, it should keep the principles very high. The European Union often has a lot of arguments not to do something for us. We are too far, we are too busy, we are still digesting. We know these arguments very well. But now it’s time for them to say that their principles really matter, also for the European citizens outside their borders.”

Expectations of the people

Behrendt: “I believe that the people of Moldova are realistic. They understand that accession to the EU is right now not on the agenda. In this country there is this hope that the EU will bring a better life. A hope not only for more money and better living conditions, but also for more stability and rule of law. They hope that the EU can help them achieve that.”

Munteanu: “Our country does not need the EU as a gift overnight. This country needs transformation, and that can only be accomplished if there is a golden ticket at the end of the race. But in general people expect too much from the EU. That is something you see in all the countries which are willing to integrate. What it is that Moldavians really want from the EU? The commitment of the EU, people need this to accept the fact that they have to suffer. In the end all we need is some democratic solidarity.”