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The army of the Republic of Moldova will be subordinated to the Romanian Army, claim pro-Russian politicians who erroneously present a document regarding operations under the auspices of international organizations.
NEWS: "The thing we were afraid would happen - the National Army of Moldova will become part of the Romanian Army.
Maia Sandu has decided that the best way to strengthen our army is to integrate it into the Romanian security system. Before that, our soldiers used to serve exclusively under the auspices of the UN in peacekeeping missions, but now they will be forced to obey Romanian officers and participate in missions under the much more questionable auspices of NATO and the EU.
We are told that all this is necessary to increase the level of effective participation of the Republic of Moldova in international peacekeeping missions. But in reality, it is just a cover to make our soldiers complicit in the actions carried out by the NATO countries.
In effect, our army ceases to exist as an independent force. Instead of defending our homeland, we find ourselves involved in international operations, squandering our sovereignty. Sandu and her gang betrayed our people and army, turning us into pawns in global games" (Alexei Lungu Telegram Channel)
"On June 23, 1990, the deputies of the Supreme Council of the Moldavian SSR adopted the Declaration of Sovereignty. But [Maia] Sandu abandoned it, selling our independence to the Western masters. This is what the years of the regime have shown: no independence, no protection of national interests, they will treat you as they wish, for example they will take away your army. And according to the latest agreement with Romania, our armed forces become, in essence, subordinate to the Romanian Army" (Ilan Shor Telegram Channel)
NARRATIVE: The pro-European government in Chisinau subordinates the national army to that of Romania/NATO.
LOCAL CONTEXT/ ETHOS: The Republic of Moldova has one of the weakest armies in the world. However, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, Russian and pro-Russian propaganda insistently promote narratives about the intention of involving the Republic of Moldova in the war against Russia, at the insistence of the West/NATO. The issue is a sensitive one in the Republic of Moldova, a neutral state according to the Constitution, given that most citizens are in favor of maintaining this status, even if experts have shown that it does not protect it from a potential military aggression.
The collaboration of the Republic of Moldova with NATO began in the 90s, and one of the most important NATO projects was the evacuation of significant amounts of pesticides, left over from the Soviet era and which represented a danger in terms of environmental pollution and soil and water poisoning. Over the years, dozens of NATO or bilateral military exercises have been held, and that has not forced the Republic of Moldova to do anything to deepen its relations with the Alliance.
The North Atlantic Alliance, however, is still presented as a scarecrow for a good part of the population of the Republic of Moldova, who sees it through the lens of Soviet propaganda and, more recently, of the Russian Federation.
The risk of the Republic of Moldova joining NATO or the opening of NATO military bases on the territory of the Republic of Moldova is frequently invoked by pro-Russian politicians in Chisinau, although this has never been officially discussed.
Disinformation about NATO's alleged activities in the Republic of Moldova, the construction of military bases, or even the possible accession to NATO appear periodically in the Russian and Russian-language media in the Republic of Moldova, being fueled by statements and allusions by certain left-wing politicians.
On May 24, the Ministers of Defense of the Republic of Moldova and Romania, Anatolie Nosatîi and Angel Tîlvăr respectively, signed the second Protocol to amend the Agreement on Military Cooperation , concluded on April 20, 2012 in Chisinau.
PURPOSE: To fuel fear in society about a possible involvement of the Moldovan soldiers in military actions and, indirectly, to bring back into discussion the narrative about the "annexation" of the Republic of Moldova to Romania, in this case the first step being to subordinate the national army.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The protocol signed in Bucharest provides for mutual support in the field of preparation for and joint participation in missions and operations under the auspices of international organizations, such as the European Union.
The Moldovan Minister of Defense Anatolie Nosatîi stated on the approval by the Government of the protocol that similar aspects to the ones provided for in the document also exist in an agreement with Italy.
Reserve Commander Sandu Valentin Mateiu explained on Radio Moldova that the need for this protocol was identified against the background of Romania taking over the command of the EUFOR Altheia operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina on January 1, 2025. Moldovan soldiers will also participate in the mission, that is why the Agreement had to be updated, in order to provide the necessary logistical support.
The expert also specified that the Moldovan soldiers will participate in this mission under the flag of the Republic of Moldova; moreover, it is not a NATO mission, but a European Union mission . "In no case will there be an integration of the army of the Republic of Moldova into the army of Romania. We are talking about two sovereign states and it is a protocol between two sovereign states", the military expert pointed out.
Also, the Chisinau expert Pavel Horea stated that this agreement and the additional protocols only provide for aspects related to the training of the Moldovan military in international missions , the provision of logistics and joint command with the Romanian armed forces. "In this case, we cannot talk about the integration of the security system of the Republic of Moldova into the Romanian system, because there are no provisions to this effect, in any of the agreements", he stated.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: The Republic of Moldova and Romania have signed a protocol to amend the Agreement in the military field between the two states, which covers the training and joint participation in missions and operations under the auspices of international organizations.
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