The comment expresses the writer’s opinions.
Maia Sandu has been president of Moldova since 2020 and is bucking a global trend.
While the rest of the world is becoming less and less democratic, she has markedly pulled Moldova in the right direction, several years in a row. Now she is on a state visit to Oslo.
Read also: The people wanted to go west, sent straight into Putin’s pinch
Russia wants them to be poor
It is no coincidence that Moldova is Europe’s poorest country. It is a small country in Eastern Europe whose biggest export item is wine.
But one of the main reasons why they are so poor is that Russia wants them to be.
Moldova has a checkered history of having been under the rule of both the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire and Romania.
After the Bolsheviks won the Russian Civil War, present-day Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet Union. Roughly speaking, the Gniser River divides Moldova in two. and the majority of those living west of the river have a strong historical connection to Romania, while the majority of those living east have a stronger connection to Russia.
Jørn Sund-Henriksen
Jørn Sund-Henriksen was an election observer in Kyiv during the Orange Revolution in 2004 and has served in the Coast Guard Command. He has engaged in independent intelligence (OSINT) for over 10 years in several conflicts and is a leader in the Norwegian-Ukrainian Friends Association. His contributions are based on open-source research, and are thus an accumulation and analysis of currently available information, with the dangers of wrong sources it entails.
Ignored by Gorbachev – Yeltsin got involved
As the Soviet Union began to falter, these contradictions came to the surface. Small skirmishes between the parties were ignored by Gorbachev, who saw little upside in getting involved.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union and Moldova’s de facto independence, the level of conflict rose.
In 1992 war broke out and Yeltsin was more interested in getting involved.
As in the civil war in Georgia and in the conflicts between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russian forces actively joined the war. They ensured that Moldovan forces, supported by Romania, were unable to take control of Transnistria.
After the peace agreement in the summer of 1992, Transnistria has in practice been an autonomous region, without international recognition. Moldova has had little influence over this breakaway republic with a massive Russian military base. But Transnistria has had a great influence on Moldova.
Russian presence
Russia has used its presence here to create a frozen conflict that gives them influence over Moldova, with the presence of Russian soldiers.
In the same way as several other “frozen” conflicts after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Transnistria is a hub for organized crime, with branches throughout the region. Especially with branches to Russia.
Participating in Moldovan elections
Although Transnistria considers itself independent from Moldova, its residents participate in Moldovan elections.
It has given the pro-Russian socialist party PSRM great influence.
Before Maia Sandu was elected, they had the president, and they have always had enough seats in the parliament to at least have negative control and could have a big influence on Moldovan politics.
Through them, Russia has kept Moldova “down” ever since.
Through negative control, they have been able to stop everything they don’t like. In that way, Moldova’s defenses have been roughly dismantled since 1992.
They have not had energy integration with the rest of Europe, and were until recently completely dependent on Russian gas. They even had to pay for Transnistria to get free gas.
Read also: Longing out for Putin: – Serious and unacceptable
Pro-European power
This development in the direction of an undemocratic, corrupt, vassal state under Russia was broken when Maia Sandu became president in 2020.
She won over the pro-Russian incumbent Igor Dodon of the PSRM, who is now under investigation for corruption.
In the subsequent parliamentary elections in 2021, she contributed to an electoral victory that for the first time has given a pro-European party the power to actually make changes in Moldova.
It has started an EU candidate process and increased focus on European integration.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has of course escalated these processes.
Moldova has now increased its energy integration with Europe and has begun to rebuild its security forces. The most impressive development, however, is in the anti-corruption work.
If Moldova is to have a chance of positive economic development, fighting corruption is absolutely essential. It is also crucial for weakening Russian influence in the country.
In the direction of a well-functioning democracy
Moldova is one of the few countries in the world that is really making positive progress towards a more well-functioning democracy.
Reduced corruption, increased political freedoms and more robust institutions are among the things Maia Sandu has achieved.
Although Moldova is not at war, it is also on the front line in the struggle between democracy and autocracy.
Because Moldova and Sandu are under attack.
Not military, yet.
But they are exposed to a massive information war. It is perhaps only Georgia and Taiwan that are exposed to an equally extensive information war.
Putin is betting everything on her losing the presidential election.
Here you can read more by Jørn Sund-Henriksen
Putin wants to weaken Moldova’s economy
Russia is doing what it can to weaken Moldova’s economy.
In addition, the country is affected by increased energy prices and the flow of refugees from Ukraine. Through social media and demonstrations organized by the Russians, they want to create chaos and weaken Sandu.
There have been, as in Georgia, demonstrations in the capital with paid demonstrators who have been bussed in from the countryside.
Read also: On the way to a new Euromaidan in Georgia?
In the presidential election on 20 October this year, it will be decided whether Moldova will continue in a democratic and European direction with Sandu, or whether Moldova will turn against Russia again with the pro-Russian presidential candidate Renato Usatii.
Kneeling for democracy
Only eight percent of the world’s population lives in a democracy, and the number is decreasing.
We could therefore really need someone to go in the right direction. Contributing to strengthening Moldova through aid and economic cooperation is therefore a cheap investment in a more democratic Europe.
An unknown but very important element of the Nansen program is the support to Moldova.
As part of the increased cooperation between our countries, Norway is now opening an embassy in Chișinău and Sandu is on a state visit.
It is very positive and a venture that I really hope the government will continue.
Cheers to and with Moldovan wine
As consumers, we can also contribute to that.
There are not very many goods from Moldova that are sold in Norway, but there is a lot of high quality at Vinmonopolet.
I would certainly recommend a toast to Maia Sandu and Moldova’s positive development with a glass of Moldovan wine this weekend. If you buy a bottle or two, you also contribute to their economy.
Read also: You don’t eat brown children. And I can’t shut up
Increasing trend
It is a trend among former Soviet states to look west.
Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan as well as Moldova.
It is not a threat to Russia. What Putin sees as a threat is well-functioning democracy.
Democracy and freedom are contagious. Those who live near a democracy would like to have it themselves. Ask the citizens of the GDR.
That is one of the reasons why developments in Ukraine became intolerable for Putin.
Maia Sandu, and leaders like her, are an antidote to Russia’s anti-democratic influence in its neighboring states.
She builds the nation and democracy. That makes Putin nervous. Because democracy is contagious.
And Sandu is a leader who is everything he is not.
Democratic, courageous, efficient and not least; popular.
