The European Union has closed its borders to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, according to a publication close to the Socialists that seeks to mislead the public based on a simple technical measure of the EU Council, which recommended the Member States to impose certain travel restrictions, against the background of the pandemic.
NEWS: “Moldovans have no place here: the European Union has introduced restrictions on the citizens of our country”, kp.md headlined, anticipating in the body of the news that the EU plans to exclude the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina from the list of third countries whose citizens can circulate without restrictions in EU countries, given the low incidence of COVID-19.
“The EU has closed the curtain: Moldova has been included in the list of restrictions, so no travelling from now on”, was the headline of a news item published the next day, following the decision announced by the EU Council.
NARRATIVE: The European Union blocks Moldovans' access to its territory.
CONTEXT / LOCAL ETHOS: The two news items actually refer to the decision of the Council of the European Union to remove the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina from the list of countries whose residents can travel without restrictions in the EU due to their current epidemiological situation.The way in which the publication close to the Party of Socialists, with close links with a well-known Russian newspaper with the same name, established back in the Soviet period, presents this news is biased and is part of its general editorial policy. This is manifested in criticism of the West and pro-European politicians and in favor of pro-Russian politicians.The interpretation given to the EU's decision to remove the Republic of Moldova from that list is part of a broader campaign, promoted by some media institutions and politicians, which seeks to undermine the pro-European aspirations of most citizens of the Republic of Moldova. Directly or indirectly, the same sources and politicians promote the rapprochement with the Russian Federation and highlight the economic, political, and military power of that state.
PURPOSE: 1. To show that the EU is indifferent to the fate of Moldovans. 2 To create panic in society by saying that the EU is closing its borders to Moldovan citizens. 3. (Indirectly) To show that the pro-European government is failing in its pro-European policies.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The EU is not closing its borders to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, nor is it cancelling their right to travel within the community. The Council of the EU decided on 23 September to remove the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina from the list of countries for which travel restrictions should no longer be in place. The decision is strictly related to the evolution of the Covid 19 pandemic in the two states.
In addition, the restrictions only apply to non-essential journeys and each Member State may allow access to vaccinated citizens. “Non-essential travel to the EU from countries or entities not listed in Annex I shall be subject to a temporary travel restriction. This is without prejudice to the possibility for Member States to lift the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU for fully vaccinated travelers”, the document reads.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration in Chisinau states that the EU Council’s recommendations are not binding. “The Schengen states will be able to allow non-essential travel of citizens of the Republic of Moldova and of persons legally residing in our country, who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The MFA notes that the EU-approved list has the status of a recommendation applicable to 25 of the 27 EU Member States (excluding Denmark and Ireland). This recommendation does not apply directly but is to be implemented through the individual decisions of the EU Member States and Schengen States. "The Republic of Moldova was on the list of countries with restrictions before, until July 1, when it was eliminated due to the decrease in the number of cases. In the autumn, the incidence has increased significantly, as it has in all countries in the region.
GRAIN OF TRUTH: The European Union has updated the list of third countries whose residents should not be affected by the temporary restrictions applied in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic at the EU's external borders with regard to non-essential travel. The Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been removed from that list due to the worsening epidemiological situation in those countries.
