The Republic of Moldova can join the EU only at the cost of destroying the Moldovan Orthodox Church and getting involved in the war in Ukraine, according to a piece of disinformation published by noi.md, a website known for spreading false narratives.
NEWS: In order to join the EU, the European Union will require Serbia to contribute its military and defence industry to the fight against Russia, former Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Alexandr Vulin has recently stated. Romania is creating an “energy shield” in the Black Sea. He says that the EU will not be satisfied with Belgrade merely joining the anti-Russian sanctions. “If we intend to join the European Union, sanctions against Russia are only the first step. That is not enough; we will have to contribute our military industry and army to the fight against Russia, just as Montenegro did,” said the Serbian politician. Vulin also added that “if we want to join the EU, we should not believe that we can preserve the status of the Serbian Orthodox Church in its current form. The Serbian Orthodox Church will be a ‘non-governmental organization.’”
All of this directly affects the Republic of Moldova as well, for which, according to the Constitution, accession to the European Union is now the only true path to the country’s development.
The authorities are already deliberately attempting to destroy the canonical Moldovan Orthodox Church. Let us consider, for instance, the plans of certain “cultural figures” to return to the state (PAS) 800 churches transferred to the Metropolis of Moldova decades ago. Many of them were in a dilapidated state at the time of the transfer.
Judging by the volume of arms deliveries to the Republic of Moldova, under the pretext of “strengthening its defence capabilities,” the European Union is, at the very least, using our country as a frontline territory and transit point for Ukraine (opposition politicians are convinced that they are preparing us for war as well).
NARRATIVES: 1. Joining the EU means the destruction of the Orthodox Church. 2. Joining the EU means getting involved in a war against Russia.
PURPOSE: To instil fear of European integration by associating the EU accession with the loss of religious identity and the destruction of the Orthodox Church; to portray the European Union as a belligerent actor that forces candidate states, including the Republic of Moldova, to participate directly or indirectly in a war against Russia; to fuel the perception that the authorities in Chișinău are militarizing the country and turning it into an outpost or transit territory for the conflict in Ukraine.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The EU does not impose religious models on member states or candidate countries and has no authority over the internal organization of religious denominations. On the contrary, the European treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights guarantee religious freedom, the autonomy of religious denominations, and the right of states to regulate their relationship with churches in accordance with national traditions. The examples of predominantly Orthodox EU member states (Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus) clearly demonstrate that accession has led neither to the abolition nor to the subordination of the Orthodox Church, but rather to its free operation, with legal support and protection. Veridica has previously debunked false claims on this topic, such as the notion that the EU seeks to destroy Orthodoxy .
The European Union is not a military alliance and does not compel member states or candidate countries to participate in armed conflicts. The Common Security and Defence Policy is based on voluntary, consensus-driven decisions, and participation in military missions is optional; as evidence of this, several EU member states are neutral or have traditions of military non-alignment (Austria, Ireland, Malta). The support provided to Ukraine by the EU is political, economic, and defensive in nature and does not involve sending troops or forcing other states to fight. Previously, Veridica has debunked false claims regarding the alleged transformation of the EU into a military bloc, as well as the alleged condition imposed on the Republic of Moldova that it must get involved in the war in Ukraine in order to join the EU.
CONTEXT/LOCAL CLIMATE: In the Republic of Moldova, the Orthodox Church is divided into the Metropolis of Moldova—which is subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church and possesses the largest number of places of worship and the greatest influence in society—and the Metropolis of Bessarabia, which is subordinate to the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Metropolis of Moldova is considered affiliated with Moscow, and its priests and leaders have openly or indirectly supported certain pro-Russian political parties or politicians, usually on the left. The most scandalous incident was the involvement of several church representatives in the 2016 presidential election campaign against Maia Sandu. At that time, the Constitutional Court asked Parliament to ban the Church’s involvement in election campaigns. In recent years, there have been allegations regarding pressure from the authorities on the Metropolis of Moldova, which Veridica has debunked.
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