The Republic of Moldova is preparing to relinquish its neutrality status and hand over control over its armed forces to NATO, according to a false narrative carried by the Russian media. In fact, Moldova has merely renewed its Action Plan with NATO, a periodic process that has nothing to do with neutrality or NATO accession.
NEWS: “The Government of the Republic of Moldova has adopted the new Moldova-NATO 2022-2023 Individual Partnership Action Plan […]
The Plan stipulates “strengthening democratic control over the Republic of Moldova’s armed forces, cooperation with a view to modernizing and developing the capabilities of Moldova’s armed forces, cooperation with a view to combating new security challenges such as cyber-attacks, terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.” Moldova is thus giving the North Atlantic Alliance control over its armed forces. With the opening of the NATO Information and Documentation Center in Chișinău (in fact, the NATO Liaison Office. The NATO Information and Documentation Center is a non-governmental organization set up in 2007, e.n.), NATO will now have access to all types of information, including military.
The adoption of this Plan, which is undoubtedly a sign of Moldova’s decision to renounce its neutrality status, has coincided with a string of actions aimed at subverting Moldovan-Russian relations.”
NARRATIVES: 1. NATO is taking control over the Republic of Moldova’s army and defense system. 2. The Government in Chișinău is ready to push for NATO accession.
BACKGROUND: The collaboration between the Republic of Moldova and NATO started ever since the 1990s. One of the major NATO projects was to evacuate large quantities of Soviet-era pesticides that threatened to pollute the environment by poisoning the soil and waters.
The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance continues to be depicted as the boogeyman for a large part of the Moldovan people, who regard NATO through the lens of propaganda spread by the Soviet Union and now the Russian Federation.
Pro-Russian politicians in Chișinău frequently refer to the so-called risk of Moldova joining NATO or of NATO opening military bases on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, although these initiatives have never been expressed at formal level.
Under the Constitution, the Republic of Moldova is a neutral state. Some right-wing politicians have called for renouncing the state of neutrality, arguing this is supported only by 20-25% of the population which, according to surveys, would vote for NATO accession. In 2006, during the communist regime, the Republic of Moldova signed an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, which is periodically renewed. In Wednesday’s session, the Government in Chișinău adopted the IPAP for 2022-2023.
Disinformation about NATO’s alleged activities in the Republic of Moldova, the building of military bases and even Moldova’s potential NATO accession are periodically published by the Russian media and the Russian-language media in the Republic of Moldova, also fueled by the statements or hints of certain left-wing politicians. Now, however, such articles are meant to further fan the flame amidst the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, also in light of Moscow’s requests that NATO should pull out from Eastern Europe and Russia’s wider disinformation campaign over the Alliance’s alleged aggressive intensions.
Also worth noting is that the Republic of Moldova has one of the lowest military budgets in the world. It has a frozen conflict on its territory, in the breakaway region of Transnistria, which is home to an important Russian military force, guarding a Soviet-era munition depot. It is highly unlikely NATO would be willing to accept in its ranks a country with an unresolved conflict that hosts Russian troops on top of that.
PURPOSE: To depict the government in Chișinău as willing to hand NATO control of its armed forces (and national interests) and to join the North Atlantic Alliance (an idea that lacks popular support in Moldova). To confirm Moscow’s claims about the dangers of NATO enlargement in Eastern Europe.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The Republic of Moldova’s relations with NATO are based on an Action Plan which has been periodically renewed starting 2006. This Action Plan stipulates neither the Republic of Moldova’s NATO accession nor the possibility that Moldova should renounce its neutrality status, which is enshrined in the Constitution adopted in 1994.
“Cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and NATO is based on the observance of the country’s status of neutrality. In this context, the Republic of Moldova, by implementing IPAP, does not pursue NATO accession. The Moldovan authorities want to implement IPAP in order to speed up the process of reforms and the modernization of its security and national defense sector in line with the latest security developments and standards, in order to develop the necessary capabilities required to cope with the latest challenges, to consolidate the security of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and the state. Moreover, the Republic of Moldova is determined to develop cooperation with NATO member states and partners with a view to combating new common security challenges, such as terrorism, cyber threats, which are now cross-border phenomena and have grown more diverse and sophisticated, as well as to contribute to the promotion of stability and security in the region and in Europe”, a document adopted by the Government on January 19 reads.
Furthermore, confronted with frequent disinformation claims regarding the Republic of Moldova’s relations with NATO, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, said in Wednesday’s session that cooperation on the sidelines of IPAP “is by no means affecting the neutrality of the state and is fully compliant with Moldova’s status as a neutral country”. Additionally, Minister Popescu pointed out that the new Plan doesn’t lay out any objectives or new vistas for cooperation, comparing it to previous plans and arguing that the Republic of Moldova “is preserving its sovereign right over any decision impacting its security and defense”.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: The Government in Chișinău adopted in Wednesday’s session the 2022-2023 Action Plan, which is renewed periodically, based on the original Individual Partnership Action Plan signed in 2006.
OFFICIAL REACTIONS: On the sidelines of the government’s session, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, argued, in order to dismiss speculations, that the new Plan does not provide for any new activities, and, much like previous agreements, does not change the Republic of Moldova’s state of neutrality and does not provide new obligations or commitments towards NATO linked with Chișinău’s defense and security policies.
