The Republic of Moldova will join the EU by 2030, believes President Maia Sandu. In an exclusive interview, Maia Sandu also spoke about Russia's pressure on Moldova, her decision to run for a second term, but also about the war in Ukraine and the importance of supporting Kiev.
VERIDICA: Madam president, thank you for granting us this interview on the second day of Christmas. How did you celebrate Christmas this year? Do you recall spending Christmas as a child, in Risipeni?
MAIA SANDU: I spent Christmas with my family, like I’ve been doing every year since I was a kid. We used to spend Christmas at home, at my grandparents in Risipeni or at my other grandparents in Călărași. It was different back then, because we had snow and we used to go caroling. Whether I was at home or in Călărași, we always awaited carolers to knock at our door, it was wonderful.
VERIDICA: Christmas used to be celebrated on January 7 in the Eastern Orthodox church in Bessarabia. Now I understand the number of people who celebrate it according to the new calendar is growing. Do you know this for a fact?
MAIA SANDU: I can’t give you exact numbers, but here, we’re accustomed to celebrating Christmas both in the new and old tradition. People in Chișinău, in particular, but also elsewhere, in the countryside, have started celebrating Christmas according to modern tradition. There are still many people who celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar, and I don’t think it’s a problem.
I’m running for a new term as president to safeguard to irreversibility of our European track
VERIDICA: This Monday you announced your candidacy for a new term as president. In September, you didn’t offer a straight answer to the press regarding a new candidacy. Have you considered the option of not running these past months? What exactly determined you to run for president again?
MAIA SANDU: I’m taking things one step at a time. Now that we’re approaching a year when Moldova will host presidential elections, it is normal for me to talk about my participation in this election. I’m calling on citizens to support me for a new term as president, because we have an important mission to accomplish together, to ensure the irreversibility of the Republic of Moldova’s European track. And I believe everyone here, in the Republic of Moldova, has a duty to complete this mission and take advantage of this opportunity, because that’s what we’re presented with. We can rely on the support of European Union Member States. There’s still a lot to do at home, but it’s an opportunity I want us to capitalize on.
We have witnessed unprecedented ingressions from the Russian Federation in local elections
VERIDICA: The Republic of Moldova has recently played host to local elections. Some have interpreted the result as subpar for the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS). Others have talked about a breakdown of votes for pro-European factions, and even votes in Russia’s favor. One such case was the race for the Chișinău City Hall, where Ion Ceban won the election in the first round, or the City Hall in Risipeni, where the European Social-Democratic Party won the election. How do you interpret these results?
MAIA SANDU: I’ve also read about this interpretation in Romanian media, but I believe it is important to see the bigger picture. First and foremost, we’ve had a majority vote in favor of European integration, of pro-European factions, accounting for over 60% of total votes. And this is again evidence of our citizens’ support for our project – the European integration of the Republic of Moldova. Secondly, I believe the Action and Solidarity Party grabbed a good result. PAS won the elections in a third of the total municipalities enrolled in the election. 17 in 32 districts are today led by presidents representing PAS. The number of local elected officials on behalf of PAS is larger compared to the result obtained by pro-European parties in previous rounds of local election. So, overall, the result is good. Of course, we would have wanted the result to be different in Chișinău, although PAS won 40% of the total number of seats in the City Council. We need to take into account the context as well, because the latest round of local elections was held in the context of unprecedented interference from external forces, and by that I mean the Russian Federation. Russia invested money in this election, and this kind of financial interference is obviously illegal. Russia used disinformation, collaborated with criminal and corrupt groups in the Republic of Moldova to buy votes, to fund election campaigns, something which is forbidden under the law. Russia sought to discredit democracy and undermine the election in the Republic of Moldova. The Russian Federation failed to achieve its goals, and to a large extent, the election was free and democratic. Of course, we have noticed attempts from the Russian Federation to sway the results and, in some settlements, it did probably manage to influence the results of the election. But I repeat, we managed to provide a good framework for the organization of free and democratic elections and prevented the Russian Federation to interfere to the extent it had planned.
The Kremlin is now playing both camps – the pro-Europeans and the pro-Russians
VERIDICA: Since you were speaking about Chișinău and Russia’s influence in the local elections, something the international media has also referred to, how do you explain the vote in the capital city? Although the influence of political technologies in Moscow, or agents of intelligence services and counselling services provided to Ion Ceban in the past have all been confirmed, and although Ceban himself turned pro-European overnight, the people of Chișinău still voted for him. How do you explain that?
MAIA SANDU: We need to respect people’s vote, but we also have to understand that the Russian Federation, or better the said the Kremlin, has changed its strategy for the Republic of Moldova after the 2020 election, because it understood it can no longer rely on pro-Russian parties alone. And since the vast majority of citizens in the Republic of Moldova are in favor of the country’s European integration, now the Kremlin is trying to influence the pro-European and the pro-Russian camps to equal measure. And just to give you an example, you can notice what the Kremlin’s reaction was to the election of the current mayor of Chișinău. You can notice that, every two days, the Kremlin criticizes the Moldovan government and claims the pro-European aspirations are imposed by the government, contrary to the will of the people. Conversely, the Kremlin mentions nothing of the current mayor’s statements expressing support for Moldova’s European integration. So, to me, it’s very clear what the Kremlin’s is playing at. It’s not as clear to all the citizens of Moldova, but we have to stay vigilant, to combat disinformation and propaganda and help our citizens grasp what is actually happening.
We’ve managed to break free from Russian blackmail. Moldovans will now decide if they want to move closer to Europe or further back in time
VERIDICA: You’ve asked Parliament to prepare a referendum next autumn, when the citizens of the Republic of Moldova should be consulted over the country’s European Union integration. Could this referendum coincide with the presidential election? Will the referendum also be organized in Transnistria? What about Găgăuzia, given the special status of this territory?
MAIA SANDU: Citizens’ will remains paramount, and next autumn they will have to decide if they want to move forward, to go ahead with our project of European integration, or if they want to go back in time. The Republic of Moldova has for many years been exposed to blackmail. The Republic of Moldova was deadlocked in this grey area, where it seemed to have no escape. And here we are, we’ve managed to break free from blackmail. We’ve managed to rid our country from its total dependency on Russian gas and Russian markets. We’ve worked for many years to consolidate the independence of Moldovan institutions and statehood. But in the end, the final decision rests with the citizens, and this autumn our citizens will have to decide the fate of the Republic of Moldova, what the future of the Republic of Moldova will have. This referendum will obviously be organized on the entire territory of Moldova. Parliament is expected to work out all the technicalities as regards the organization of this referendum.
VERIDICA: But how will it be possible to organize the referendum in Transnistria, a region outside Chișinău’s control?
MAIA SANDU: The referendum will be organized just like the other regular elections. We can’t open voting polls on the territory of Transnistria, because it is not controlled by our constitutional bodies. But the citizens of Moldova on the left bank of the Dniester can always cast their votes in polls on the right bank.
We had prepared for every possible outcome. Postponing EU accession negotiations would not have stopped us
VERIDICA: This Christmas is marked by the European Council’s decision to launch accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. It is a remarkable victory for Moldovan authorities, and I quote: “no one would have imagined two years ago that in 2023 the European Commission would recommend to start accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova”. This decision seemed unlikely on the eve of the vote in the European Council, given Hungary’s opposition towards Ukraine’s EU accession. How would you describe your experience of these events?
MAIA SANDU: I kept hoping and working for this decision to become reality. I kept in touch with European Union members until the last day prior to the vote, we worked together to fulfill all the obligations we pledged to fulfill in June 2022, when the Republic of Moldova obtained the EU candidate status. We had prepared for every possible outcome, and I don’t believe that postponing the decision by another two-three months would have stopped us. On the contrary, I firmly believe we would have stayed our course. But it is wonderful this decision was taken now, in December. Of course, it encourages us and our citizens to work even harder, it gives us more confidence in order to fulfill the aspirations of our citizens as well as our commitments towards the European Union, which remain the same. Both Moldovan citizens and the European Union want Moldova to observe the rule of law, to have strong institutions that should protect the country’s citizens, to have a functional market economy where everyone should enjoy the same opportunities at home, and of course, to be able to provide an increasing degree of security.
The pandemic, the integrity issues facing the previous Parliament and the war in Ukraine were the top challenges of my three years in office
VERIDICA: You were sworn in as president of the Republic of Moldova three years ago, on December 24, 2020. What was your greatest fear back then?
MAIA SANDU: We were facing a fully-fledged pandemic back then, and my greatest concern was people’s well-being and safety. I was desperate to find vaccines and treatment for people who were suffering from Covid. And in that regard, we were very fortunate to receive vaccines from Romania, for which we remain very grateful. It was very hard watching people die in the front line. And perhaps the hardest day of my life was when I bestowed the order or honor to the families of physicians and medical staff who perished on the Covid frontline. Then there was also the issue of Parliament, because back then we were ruled by a Parliament majority made up of people with serious integrity issues. Before long, we managed to dissolve Parliament and we gave citizens a chance to elect other people to represent them. Then the war broke out, and of course, this remains our greatest challenge.
Russia’s aggressive policies and corruption are the main threats facing Moldova’s security
VERIDICA: You mentioned peace, independence and the start of European Union accession negotiations as the greatest achievements of your term in office. Outlining the countries shortlisted for “Country of the Year 2023” award, The Economist recently also nominated the Republic of Moldova, a country that “resisted Russia’s intimidation”. What would you say was the biggest challenge Moldova had to face during your three years in office? How will Chișinău respond to security challenges in 2024?
MAIA SANDU: Like I said, war is the greatest hardship any country and any family has had to endure in history. We believed, as did our forebearers, that we would never again witness such horrors. Unfortunately, Russia’s acts of aggression against Ukraine have altered this perception, and the reality on the ground has changed. Today, we have peace in the Republic of Moldova only owing to the heroics of the Ukrainian people, thanks to the assistance a number of states, including Romania, are providing to Ukraine, and also thanks to our efforts to maintain stability, to prevent warring factions from taking the power reins in the Republic of Moldova. In 2024, we will continue to work hard to consolidate the capabilities of our institutions. Parliament has recently adopted a new national security strategy, which clearly enumerates the main security threats, which first and foremost include the Russian Federation’s aggressive policies towards the Republic of Moldova, as well as entrenched corruption. This strategy also offers solutions we will continue to develop in order to consolidate our security. Our strong message to the free world and to every country that wants their borders to be respected is to continue to support Ukraine.
Putin will not stop, unless he is stopped
VERIDICA: We have seen a growing sense of war fatigue taking root in the West. The position of the United States and the European Union with respect to military assistance provided to Ukraine might wane in 2024. Do you believe Ukraine will manage to resist without the support of the free world? What could be the consequences of withdrawing or diminishing support for Ukraine, but also for Moldova?
MAIA SANDU: Everyone must understand that Putin won’t stop unless he is stopped. And unless Putin is stopped, the costs will be greater for everyone. Of course, Ukraine is making the ultimate sacrifice. And indeed, unless the Kremlin is stopped, the consequences will be greater for all of us. It is in everyone’s best interest, not just Ukraine or the Republic of Moldova, that Ukraine should win this war, to be supported. I also rely on and believe in the solidarity of world democracies, and I hope Ukraine will continue to receive every manner of support it needs. We are grateful for all the assistance we’ve been provided with so far by so many countries. The Republic of Moldova is trying to help Ukraine the best it can, including by training Ukrainian military engineers, and of course, by taking in a large number of Ukrainian refugees who’ve chosen to stay in the Republic of Moldova, providing humanitarian assistance and promoting Ukraine’s cause in this war. Every time I get the opportunity, I always talk about the need to support Ukraine.
The Kremlin needs cannon fodder for the war effort. We will protect Moldovan citizens
VERIDICA: Last week, Vladimir Putin simplified procedures for granting Russian citizenship to the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, Kazakhstan and Belarus. Prime Minister Dorin Recean said these people will in fact serve as “cannon fodder” for the Kremlin. In Saint Petersburg, for instance, shortly after last week’s ceremony whereby they were awarded the Russian citizenship, the new citizens were also handed their conscription papers. Is this one of your concerns? Will Moldovans end up fighting on Moscow’s side against the Ukrainian people?
MAIA SANDU: It is clear to me the Kremlin needs cannon fodder in order to continue fighting this war, but the Moldovan people don’t want to give away their lives for an illegal war. I am certain many Moldovans have chosen to leave the Russian Federation at the time the aggression started. We want peace for our citizens, wherever they might be, at home or abroad. And we will continue to do everything in our power to protect them, to provide them with accurate information, so they can in turn protect themselves against other threats.
VERIDICA: Of the approximately 150-200 thousand Moldovan citizens who are currently in the Russian Federation, how many have filed for obtaining the Russian citizenship in expedited procedures?
MAIA SANDU: We don’t have these numbers, we have data on Moldovan citizens who are returning from the Russian Federation, about Moldovans who have reapplied to obtain the Moldovan citizenship. We are aware many Moldovans are leaving the Russian Federation to seek jobs in European countries, and their numbers are growing.
In 2024, the biggest election year in history, the free world needs to consolidate its democracies
VERIDICA: Next year will see elections held in 40 states. Many people regard 2024 as the biggest election year in history. The most important elections in this corner of Europe will be presidential elections in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, European Parliament elections, but also presidential elections in the United States of America. In Russia, of course, we already know the result. In Ukraine, organizing presidential elections next year seems unlikely in the present context. What do you think the world will look like at the end of next year? What are your predictions?
MAIA SANDU: It is not my place to make predictions. It is obvious uncertainty sweeps the entire world. It is clear disinformation is an issue everywhere, and the democratic world needs to display unity and resolve, including with a view to combating disinformation, and work together in order to support all democracies. Every country fights to preserve and consolidate its democracy. In the Republic of Moldova, we will do everything in our power to preserve peace, our stability, to consolidate our independence, to strengthen our institutions and to contribute to regional security as well.
“The billion-dollar theft”: we will continue our efforts to have Ilan Shor extradited and to rid the judiciary of corrupt magistrates
VERIDICA: You have promised the citizens of the Republic of Moldova that the people responsible for the billion-dollar theft will face justice. The Central Bank governor, Octavian Armașu, has recently been dismissed following hearings pertaining to this investigation. Ilan Shor, on the other hand, who was handed a 15-year prison sentence, remains at large. He appears to be living in the Russian Federation now, while maintaining a strong political influence in the Republic of Moldova. How close are you to fulfilling your promise?
MAIA SANDU: We have kick-started a far-reaching reform of the justice system, something which isn’t easy to achieve, but which is absolutely necessary. And now we are in the stage of ridding the judiciary of corrupt magistrates. For that we have committees, also comprising foreign experts, that take charge of assessing the integrity of magistrates and prosecutors. Over the coming months, we hope to finalize the process of special external evaluation for all members of the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Superior Council of Prosecutors, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal. These are all major elements of this reform. The system is indeed under a tremendous amount of pressure due to these integrity tests. This reform has been welcomed by few in the system, but this was the only way forward. Admittedly, the system is not truly effective, considering it is undergoing this reform and facing all this pressure. We have reported a number of achievements in getting corrupt officials sanctioned at international level, as a large part of the Republic of Moldova’s corrupt officials have been added to lists of sanctions in the United States, the European Union and other countries. And that certainly helps. At domestic level, we have taken a few important decisions, one of which you have mentioned yourself – the sentence passed to Ilan Shor. Unfortunately, he was not in the country at the time the sentence was passed, but we will continue to make efforts to have him extradited. We hope to secure a positive decision in this respect. At any rate, we need to carry on reforms, to make sure our institutions are no longer under the control of corrupt groups and criminal organizations. Our institutions are independent and have sufficient professional competence to see these investigations through so that we can finally get final rulings in court. We are on the right track, although this is taking longer than we had hoped for.
We will join the European Union by 2030, and Romania’s support remains crucial
VERIDICA: As of March 2023, Moldovan is no longer an official language of the Republic of Moldova, under a historic decision of the Moldovan Parliament, adopted 100 years since the emergence of this linguistic fabrication in Moldova. The Romanian language has been reinstated as a state language. Surveys show that the number of unification supporters is on the wane in the Republic of Moldova, whereas the number of people who support European integration is on the rise. How do you interpret this apparent paradox?
MAIA SANDU: I don’t know which surveys you’re referring to when you speak about the drop in the number of people who argue in favor of unification with Romania.
VERIDICA: The IMAS survey conducted in December.
MAIA SANDU: I have consulted reliable surveys that indicate a growing number of citizens of the Republic of Moldova appreciate Romania’s support, they welcome the good relations with Romania, and this makes me happy, in addition to the good results we’ve obtained together, because our economies are getting more and more integrated, our infrastructures too, and we’re doing a lot of things that bring us closer together, and I think that’s really important. We’ve always enjoyed a great deal of support for our European integration and that’s one of the reasons we’re staying on track. I strongly believe European integration can be achieved by the end of this decade.
The Church should support peace and European integrity
VERIDICA: Since the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, over 60 parishes have switched from the Metropolitanate of Moldova, subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate, to the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia, subordinated to the Romanian Patriarchate. Knowing the Russian Patriarchate is a major ally of the Kremlin in Russia and outside Russia, how do you see this process moving forward? Do you think it might entail possible security risks for the Republic of Moldova?
MAIA SANDU: The church is separated from the state in the Republic of Moldova. Like I’ve said, I believe the Church should be part of this society-wide effort to maintain peace, to support the European integration of the Republic of Moldova. It would be sensible for the Church to be on the side of peace, not war.
VERIDICA: And right now, is the Church on the side of peace? Does it also support the European integration effort?
MAIA SANDU: We’re seeing signals and efforts that reveal a change, and I believe this is a sign things are advancing in the right direction, towards supporting peace, the people and European integration, and I hope this will all come true.
Gender quotas are helpful, but they’re not enough. Women must step up and get involved
VERIDICA: The Republic of Moldova seems to be a country where women’s voices have lately been stronger than men’s. You have been promoting women in key positions, from that of Prime Minister, to Chief Anticorruption Prosecutor or, as seen last week, National Bank Governor. We were surprised with the appointment of Anca Dragu, a Romanian Senator. You have also supported the introduction of gender quotas and that radically changed the structure of the Moldovan Parliament. Do you believe the Republic of Moldova fares better than Romania in terms of women’s access to top-level political office?
MAIA SANDU: The women of the Republic of Moldova are brave, they are resilient and ready to take action. Our recent experience speaks to that. And indeed, I believe the Republic of Moldova can serve as an example in that respect to many countries. Gender quotas have helped, because today 40% of the MPs are women. Upon taking office, these women understand they can make a change for the better, and that has fueled their determination. And their example has obviously inspired many others. Speaking about local elections, women mayors account for only 25% of the total number of local officials, if I’m not mistaken. I believe this figure is nevertheless too small. But we have a lot of women sitting on local councils, in cities, and I think that’s a good start. Gender quotas are helpful, but they’re not enough. We need women to step up and get involved, and we also need society to support them. The Republic of Moldova has always showed its support, I’ve seen it in the presidential election of 2020, as well as in other rounds of election. And I take pride in the fact that our people are eager to achieve great things and avoid giving in to prejudice.
VERIDICA: Our last question: on a personal level, what do you wish for in the coming year?
MAIA SANDU: Like everyone else, I want my loved ones to stay healthy, I want peace, and I want the Republic of Moldova and the rest of the world to have fewer reasons to worry and more reasons to be happy about in the year ahead.
VERIDICA: Thank you for granting us this interview. Our best wishes for the year ahead! Happy New Year!
MAIA SANDU: Happy New Year!
