President of Moldova Maia Sandu gave an interview to Iurie Dudi*, which lasted more than two hours. This was the first conversation with the head of state in the history of the YouTube show “vDud”. The interview took place in Chisinau. During the conversation, Sandu told Dudiu* about the attitude of Moldovan residents to military actions in Ukraine, the country’s desire to join the European Union and the blocking of Russian media. The main statements of Sandu are in the RTVI material.
About support for Ukraine
Sergei Grits / AP
“I want to tell you that the whole society helped Ukrainian refugees. And I want to remind you that almost a million Ukrainian refugees passed through Moldova. <…> Now we have about 100 thousand Ukrainian refugees. <…>
Our entire society participated and some people are still participating in helping Ukrainian refugees. So there are no questions here. Here is the unity of our country.
<…> Moldovans are peaceful people, and the vast majority of people are against this war. <…> Moldova is a peaceful country, Moldovans want peace, they don’t want this war, and this helps us maintain both stability and peace in our country.”
On Moldova’s actions in the event of Russian aggression
“We will do everything to prevent this from happening, including our European integration plan. This is, firstly, a plan to ensure security, because the European Union is a peace project.
According to the constitution, we must do everything to maintain peace and to ensure the safety of our citizens, that is why we have an army, that is why we have a defense sector, that is why we make these investments.
But we really hope that this war will end soon and we will be able to make our investments in the economy and other sectors, [сможем] not to be in this situation where we have to invest more and more in defense. We will definitely defend our country.”
About joining the EU
“A million of our people have a Romanian passport, which means a European passport.
That is, the European Union already has millions of citizens in Moldova. This will make our way into the European Union <…> even shorter.
<…> I believe that the best for the Republic of Moldova <…> – become a member of the European Union. Then we will have neither borders with Romania nor borders with other European countries.”
About the referendum on European integration on the day of the presidential election
“It is very important for us that this referendum takes place as quickly as possible, because we are starting negotiations.
It is very important for us to resolve this issue, because there are pro-Russian politicians in Moldova who say: “Why are you working on European integration? This is only the decision of the current government, you did not ask the people.”
<…> If we want to <…> more people took part in this decision, then the presidential election is the most correct one.”
EU leaders will begin negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on joining the union
On the lack of meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin
Press service of the President of Russia
“There was nothing to discuss, [до начала боевых действий на Украине тоже]. <…> All issues were at the government level, and we resolved them at the government level.”
About what kind of politician Putin is
«[Путин] may finish [военную операцию на Украине]but unfortunately he doesn’t want it. <…> I can not say exactly, [есть ли у Путина территориальные претензии к Молдове]. <…>
We see different people from [числа] Kremlin officials, some of them even say that Moldova does not exist. We hear things like this. There are people there who speak disrespectfully or even disparagingly about our people.
<…> We want to have good relationships with everyone. But with those who do not respect us, who start wars, who do not respect the territorial integrity of other countries, of course, it is impossible to have good relations with such people.”
On Ukraine’s assistance in resolving the issue with Transnistria
“Officially, I tell you with full responsibility, there has never been such a proposal. And unofficially. <…> We have always said and will continue to say that for us the solution to the Transnistrian conflict is [возможно] only peacefully.”
On February 28, a congress of deputies of all levels took place in the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR). The President of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, initiated the preparation of an appeal to the Russian authorities with a request for assistance and protection.
In the resolution adopted during the congress, the deputies stated that Moldova “actually launched an economic war against Transnistria, deliberately creating the preconditions for a multimillion-dollar budget deficit.”
In addition to the appeal to Russia, the resolution contains calls to the secretaries general of the UN, the CIS, the European Parliament, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other organizations to prevent further escalation of the conflict in relations between Chisinau and Tiraspol.
The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the unrecognized republic, Vitaly Ignatiev, spoke about its future
About the ammunition depot in Kolbasna
«[Склад в Колбасне существует] since the times of the USSR. Since in Transnistria [действует] separatist regime, constitutional authorities cannot check what is there [находится]. <…>
From the first day of my mandate, we tried to resolve this issue with the Russian Federation, we talked about what needs to be destroyed <…> what [находится] in this warehouse. <…> In the end we did not come to any solution and, of course, this is a problem.
But there are no such conversations for Ukraine to gain access [к складу]because Ukraine respects our territorial integrity.”
Military warehouses in Kolbasna appeared in the 1940s. During Soviet times, the 1411th artillery ammunition depot was the strategic arsenal of the Western Military District. Shells were also delivered there after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from the former GDR and Czechoslovakia.
There are no official data on the amount of ammunition stored on the territory of Transnistria, as well as on their suitability. According to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev, tens of thousands of tons of ammunition still remain in warehouses. The head of the department noted that Tiraspol seeks to “solve this problem.”
On a possible coup by the Wagner PMC in Moldova
Valentin Sprinchak / TASS
“In the documents that came to us, there was a name [ЧВК «Вагнер»], but it does not matter. What matters is that there was such a plan and that people tried to make sure that in Moldova <…> there was a revolution. <…> I can’t tell you all the details. <…> There was a scenario for the destabilization of the Republic of Moldova. <…> They wanted paid protests <…> led to bloodshed [в стране]».
About freedom of speech in Moldova
“Not ours, but an objective assessment in the international ranking: (Free press index, compiled by the organization “Reporters Without Borders.” – Note RTVI). Moldova, in my opinion, has risen from an 80-something position over the past two or three years to 28th position. <…> There is no censorship, there is a problem with those who do not comply with the law <…> and wants to destabilize our country, and creates risks to national security.”
About media blocking in the country
“This is not censorship. [Заблокированные медиа] – this is not the media, this is the media of disinformation. <…> I believe this is an objective assessment [о свободе СМИ в Молдове], because those people who looked at our measures in order to create conditions for the free press to develop, they correctly assessed what is happening here. But when you have a law, and these <…> the media do not pass the law, then, of course, it must be passed [меры]».
On blocking Russian media on the territory of Moldova
“Some of [российских медиа] locked down. But we are starting here from European standards, because you know that the sanctions were imposed by the European Union and we are simply repeating <…> EU decision on these things. <…>
Propaganda and disinformation are used to do bad things to our country.
<…> Of course, there is a lot that can be discussed here <…>, [о том] how to combat propaganda more effectively, but I believe that what the European countries have decided is also the right approach for us.”
On granting Moldovan citizenship to “Bi-2” musicians
“I have not yet received their documents, if everything is in order there, then they will receive [гражданство]. <…>
The law allows us to grant citizenship in certain cases without having Moldovan blood.
<…> If these are valuable, talented people, people whom we all respect – in this case, these are, of course, people whom we all respect. I hope all the documents will be in order and I can sign them. <…> [Взамен они не будут должны] Nothing. Respect the interests of this country. <…> If they live here, <…> business will be opened, [то станут еще налоги платить]».
At the end of April, several members of the rock group “Bi-2” and members of their families submitted documents to obtain Moldovan citizenship, reported Head of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic Adrian Balutel. According to him, “repression” began against them after they expressed their position against the Russian military operation in Ukraine.
Balutsel noted that the band’s musicians “are among the most popular and famous artists in Eastern Europe, and their music is loved by both young people and older people; In Moldova, the group’s work has been appreciated for several generations.” The head of the cabinet, Sandu, also added that in the republic “there will always be a place for those who advocate peace, promote the development of culture, civic education and interethnic friendship.”
About democracy in Moldova
Dumitru Doru / EPA / TASS
“The fact that we are working so seriously to become a European country is, firstly, security for us. Secondly, this is democracy for us. That is, that we can continue to work and consolidate our democracy.
We are freedom-loving people. <…> All these years we have done everything to ensure that we do not have an authoritarian regime, and we will not have one. Because we work for democracy.”
*included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign agents