ForMin Melescanu: Ultimate decision of Republic of Moldova's future rests on this country's citizens

The ultimate decision of the future of Republic of Moldova rests on this country's citizens, on Tuesday asserted the Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu, at a debate organised by the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA). 

"It's natural that we have a priority preoccupation for the Eastern Partnership with the countries at Romania's eastern borders, but at the same time, it is obviously clear that one of our priorities is the Republic of Moldova, due to several items you are aware of: a shared history, culture, language, even religion. At the same time, one thing needs to be acknowledged. We are not in the situation of the pioneers who were trying to help an old lady cross the street, which she didn't want to," Melescanu said. 

The Foreign Affairs minister added that Romania can offer support, information, knowledge, programmes for the Moldovan citizens. 

"So, what we can grant is support, information, knowledge, programmes for the citizens but ultimately the fundamental decision of the future of the Republic of Moldova rests on the citizens of Moldova and from this point of view, we are at a particularly special moment. Parliamentary election are due this year and naturally, the guideline of the future foreign policy of the Republic of Moldova will largely depend on these elections' outcome. To us it is a priority, but not in the master-to-student sense, but as from brother to brother, and yet the decisions must be made by the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. What we can do is to support a certain vision and a certain interest of the EU for its enlargement, including towards the East, but that largely depends on what will happen in the respective country: the evolution of democracy, an independent justice, whatever you want, a good governance," the chief diplomat concluded.