The Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, had a meeting with the Minister of Defense Pavel Voicu last Tuesday. According to a press release by the Ministry of Defense, the two of them exchanged opinions on the situation in the region and Chisinau’s military policies. The head of the Russian diplomatic mission stated to Minister Voicu that his country is “open” to collaboration with the Republic of Moldova “on Defense issues.” Vasnetsov’s proposal disturbed many people especially in the context of a frozen conflict going on since 1992 between Russia and Moldova.

ANATOL CARAMAN colonel “TIRAS-TIGHINA” Association

It is an expected outcome now that Dodon gained control over the armed forces structures. The army, the Security and Intelligence Service, secret police were ceded to Dodon. And, as we already know, he is Moscow’s man… Voicu from the Defense Ministry, named by Dodon, is from the same group as Dodon. Voicu flirted with those from the General Staff of the 14th Army while he was a chief of police in Tighina. And now he became a Minister. The Russian agents who for years were removed with difficulty from the armed forces structures, are now brought back by Russia. It’s a catastrophe. I want to ask Maia Sandu and Andrei Nastase if they understand what’s happening? Moldova does not need military cooperation with Russia … Military cooperation with Russia is the worst outcome for us. Military cooperation with Russia means that the 14^th Army will remain in Moldova.

ECATERINA MARDAROVICI  50×50 Political Club

What Russia is proposing is nonsense. We have on the territory of the Republic of Moldova a Russian occupation army. And Russia refuses to honor its international commitments regarding the withdrawal of the troops from the Nistru river. In this context, any form of collaboration in this sector with Russia is not only irrational but also absolutely anti-national. Personally, I don’t believe in Russia’s good intentions in relation to Moldova, even during the creation of the current ruling coalition. I do not think those in the government can be as skillful as to unravel those perfidious games the Russians plan for this coalition. At least I have not seen this so far. Kozak and others like him could have set as a goal to drown the ACUM Bloc with all sorts of Russian cooperation projects, intending to raise Dodon’s status and lower the ranking of the ACUM Bloc so that it does not accede to power in case of early elections. There’s an old but true saying: “Do not play with fire.” Through its concessions to Dodon, the ACUM Bloc plays with fire.

ROMAN MIHAIES, political analyst

We have this Transnistrian conflict with Russia. In 1992, Snegur and Yeltsin signed the Ceasefire Agreement but the pacification process is not yet complete. Under these circumstances, there can be no military cooperation, or at least no official military cooperation. Currently Russia has other concerns, keeping busy with the implementation of a certain bureaucracy and certain policies in the defense and security sectors of the Republic of Moldova. And there is no need to bring the issue to Parliament. For if it were, I do not think those in the ACUM Bloc would vote for a possible military pact with Russia. It would be a suicide for them. I think this problem will deteriorate only if the Maia Sandu Government falls. Kozak admitted this during his visit to Chisinau and others have said it too, that this PSRM-ACUM coalition is temporary and it may break at any time. When exactly, nobody knows. In any case Russia is preparing for a new stage in which PSRM will probably try to hold power alone or with members from other parties possibly as a result of early elections. Only in these conditions some sort of Moldovan-Russian military relations could develop. Not now because the current government and the current alliance is based on a compromise among the great powers – US, EU and Russia.

LILIAN CARP, deputy from the ACUM Bloc

We have Russia to thank for the 1992 ”military cooperation” in the Transnistrian War which is a sensitive issue up to the present day. We can see other examples of such cooperation that they have in other parts of the world … We see how such cooperation with the Russian Federation brings peace. I think that from a moral point of view, Russia has no right to come up with such proposals as long as it has an army stationed illegally on the territory of Moldova. And both the Parliament and the Government have no moral right to accept such cooperation.