In its searching for a General Prosecutor, the Government, headed by one of the ACUM Bloc’s leaders, assumed responsibility for the new amendments to the Law of the Prosecutor’s Office, which gave the power to the Prime Minister to select the candidates for the Prosecutor General position and submit the list for approval to the Superior Council of Prosecutors and the President. The Socialists, which were part of the governing coalition with the ACUM Bloc responded by launching a no-confidence vote against the Government, leading to its dismissal on November 12. After the parliament dismissed the government, several Embassies, including the European Union Delegation to Moldova, expressed concern about the continuity of the reform process. 

ZdG asked three experts from Berlin how the fall of this anti-oligarchic Government will affect the relations between Moldova and the European Union.

Fritz Felgentreu, Member of the German Bundestag

Technically, there will be no impact. Politically, I can say that in the coalition that existed until recently, the prime minister is someone respected in Europe, in many countries. 

Maia Sandu is well known and there was much respect for the program that this coalition had, trying reforms in Moldova and, in particular, addressing the issue of corruption. This is something considered necessary. 

I think the E.U. hopes that this political path will be continued. Europe and Germany are interested in a good neighborhood, good development of Moldova. 

The former Democratic Government lead by Pavel Filip was respected on a technical level because the Filip Government had professional people, but whose moral authority was in question, due to the strong dependence on Vlad Plahotniuc’s influence, former leader of the Democratic Party. I think that was why Angela Merkel didn’t meet with Pavel Filip, and this wasn’t the same for Maia Sandu. 

Matthias Jobelius, Head of the Central and Eastern Europe Department at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung

It is a dynamic relationship, as it has been in the past. The E.U. will see how Moldovan politicians will resolve the situation. I think the E.U. is much more politicized now, when it comes to Moldova because they do not want to repeat what has been done in the past – to close their eyes to certain things. 

Reforms and issues related to justice are at the top of the list on the agenda. The E.U. has learned to use stronger language when it comes to Moldova, and the freezing of money is a tool that was applied quite often in Moldova’s case. And if things will not go in the right direction, this could be used now as well. 

Kai-Olaf Lang, analyst at the German Institute for International Affairs and Security

What was important to see, I think, is that domestic interest, as well as of foreign efforts, which led to Plahotniuc’s departure. The question is whether there will be a new coalition, where unpleasant interests, including oligarchs, could grow and whether it is possible to align these interests to a pro-European course. I ask, rather, than I do an assessment. 

Now, the E.U. is interested in avoiding risk and I think there are some aspects related to Moldova’s past, the old configuration, which raise the question, and that would be a negative way if a country with an Association Agreement could turn its back to the E.U. because Russia would be more interesting. This would be a difficult signal for the E.U. However, I think the E.U. will go for continuity as far as possible. I think there is some kind of robustness, this is not the first regress that we will have…

• Moldova’s Anti-Oligarchic Government Falls. What Will Happen Next?

Aliona Ciurcă, alionaciurca@yahoo.com