Author: disinfo1
By Dumitru Minzarari A precarious political standoff continues unabated in the Republic of Moldova, where the Russia-funded Party of Socialists (PSRM) desperately clings to power while trying to obstruct the conduct of snap parliamentary elections. The most recent development in this saga was the apparent stalling by the acting prime minister, Aureliu Ciocoi, of preparations for elections. Ciocoi justified the move by claiming the government does not have enough money for this exercise (TRM, May 7). His words were mirrored by former president and PSRM leader Igor Dodon, who misleadingly claimed that the head of state—a position now occupied by…
”Oligarchs continue to be active political actors in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Although their real influence can not be accurately measured, it cannot be underestimated, as it affects the quality of democratic processes and undermines national security in favor of Russian interests…” Recent signs of improvement in political competition in Eastern European states dictate a change in the behavior of financially leveraged actors, also known as oligarchs, who have become indispensable forces in local political systems. They seek to review their strategies, the purpose of which varies from restoring and consolidating their powers to maintaining channels of intervention in the…
Russia has delivered its latest weapons batch to the mineral-rich and violence-racked Central African Republic, Moscow’s ambassador in Bangui told state media Monday. The shipment of 5,000 pieces of small arms is the third delivery in as many years. Moscow donated hundreds of weapons in 2019 and airlifted 10 BRDM-2 armored personnel vehicles as a gift last year. “Russia has supplied the CAR with a third batch of weapons free of charge,” the state-run RIA Novosti news agency quoted Russia’s Ambassador in the CAR Vladimir Titorenko as saying. “These are assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols, RPGs, hand grenades and ammunition,”…
By Victor Pelin “Before forming the front of the left, the PSRM and PCRM should clarify their relations concerning the committed acts of betrayal and violation of the constitutional provisions on neutrality. It would be good if the given clarification is transparent so that public opinion could see that the future coalition of the Communists and the Socialists is solid and is based on principles and values…” Reanimation after hibernation Before the snap parliamentary elections, some of the political forces revive after a kind of clinical death. It is also the case of the Party of Communists of the Republic of…
Although Ukrainian public opinion does not surpass that of Georgia in terms of Euro-optimism, Ukraine is showing a stronger and more stable devotion to the European vector than its western neighbor – Moldova… The increased presence of the European Union (EU) in the Eastern Neighborhood is determining a successful placement at the top of societal preferences. Expectations towards the EU are determined by the content and dynamics of the relations between European actors and the local political class in the region. Even the most positive political intentions of the EU, expressed in relation to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, cannot compensate…
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Ukraine this week reflects the Biden administration’s concern about the danger of Russian aggression against its western neighbor. Though President Vladimir Putin has temporarily eased tensions by ordering Russian troops to pull back from the border, he remains determined to undermine the Ukrainian government’s control over its own territory. The U.S. and its NATO allies should meet the threat with a coordinated response — which begins with providing Ukraine with the weapons necessary to defend itself. In recent weeks, the seven-year-old conflict between Ukrainian troops and Russia-backed separatists in Ukraine’s Donbas region has intensified,…
Spying, attacks, murder: Moscow’s secret services have shown they are capable of striking even in the heart of the West. However, intelligence expert Christopher Nehring says they are marked by failure and limited means. So far, 2021 has been the year of Russian intelligence, with four spectacular operations exposed in the last four months. In Berlin, Jens F., an electrician with a Stasi past, was caught selling Bundestag construction plans to secret service agents at the Russian Embassy. In Bulgaria, a Russian spy ring was uncovered around the ex-military intelligence officer Ivan Iliev. In Italy, a frigate captain named Walter Biot was found…
Author: Victor Pelin “The intentions announced by the leader of the PSRM as to the deliberate thwarting of the effects deriving from the CC judgments should receive an appropriate riposte. In this regard, the pressure exerted by the responsible institutions and public opinion on the leader of the PSRM for his subversive actions aimed at the hidden federalization of the Republic of Moldova of May-June 2019 and the illegal financing of the PSRM should be resumed so that it even yields results…” — Remaining afloat The Constitutional Court (CC) ascertained the circumstances that justify the dissolution of Parliament, which means the snap…
Vaccine diplomacy” must not be seen strictly in a negative light. Instead, Brussels can apply it itself in line with European values and EU priorities in the field of external action. The use of the vaccine to promote European values, such as solidarity just as the financial assistance and conditionality serve to promote reforms… The continuing deterioration of bilateral relations between the EU and Russia paralyzes, with cumulative effect, the mutual trust. The ongoing destabilization of security in Eastern Europe (particularly in Ukraine) by the Russian factor keeps the dialogue with the West frozen. At the same time, the consolidation…
At the background of Russia that is limping, Romania can articulate a robust “vaccine diplomacy “, which, in addition to increasing its popularity among Moldovan citizens, will contribute to diminishing Russian influence … Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health crisis in Moldova has stood out due to the high rate of infection and mortality, which places it in the list of the most active sources of infection in Eastern Europe. But, in addition to the multiple failures related to the management of the pandemic, the country has become a case study where the competition between two “vaccine diplomacies” can…