Tiraspol, July 21. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The militarization of Moldova could bring the actual NATO borders closer and pose a threat. This was announced at a round table in the Federation Council of the Russian Federation by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev. The diplomat added that Chisinau might withdraw from the Agreement on the Peaceful Settlement of the Moldovan-Pridnestrovian Conflict.
He cited a number of facts indicating that Moldova is under the Western political players` external control.
“A system of Western external control has been established over Moldova, as well as through the Association Council of Moldova and the EU. This is a supranational body, since 2014, after signing an association agreement with the EU, it regularly monitors the implementation of European directives by Moldova. All authorities of Moldova are permeated with special advisers from Romania and the United States, including the Ministry of Defense. The Moldovan side does not make a single decision without their opinion,” the Head of the Foreign Ministry explained.
Formally, Moldova maintains a neutral status in relation to military-political blocs. However, Vitaly Ignatiev noted, the picture is quite different, actually. The political statements of the country's leadership and, most importantly, its accelerated militarization (according to NATO standards) indicate a rejection of a neutral position.
“It has joined, in fact, a Western coalition of countries that is participating in a hybrid war against Russia. We believe that Moldova, as an object of Western influence, is intensively preparing to strike at two main targets: the peacekeeping operation and directly pro-Russian Pridnestrovie. It is precisely today that we need to strengthen the peacekeeping operation, it is wiser to defend it today, so that after losses and great efforts we do not have to organize a new one in this regional space. We need to work out the scenario of a possible attempt by Chisinau with its already modernized army to achieve the goals by force,” he explained his idea.
Moldova has not yet abandoned the 1992 Peace Agreement, according to which Russian peacekeepers are located in Pridnestrovie. But at the same time, the authorities of the Republic of Moldova systematically demand the withdrawal of Russian troops.
“Today Moldova is engaged in the agreement. Tomorrow, as soon as the army is ready, it will leave it,” Vitaly Ignatiev said.
He stressed that such a turn of events is quite real. This may be the result of Moldova's almost open turn towards the NATO bloc. And it doesn't even have to join it. The country has created all the necessary political and legal foundations for the implementation of the North Atlantic Alliance`s goals. There is an agreement on a common defense space with Romania and the legal basis for the deployment of its military infrastructure, while 2/3 of the personnel are citizens of Romania among the leadership of the Moldovan army. There are officially 3 NATO centers in the country, while the EU recently effectively doubled Moldova's annual defense budget, providing an additional 40 million euros.
Ignatiev called on the senators of the Federation Council to realize the seriousness and depth of the threats to Russia and Pridnestrovie.
“The indicator of this awareness should be our concrete decision and practical actions aimed at protecting the citizens of Russia, compatriots of the half-million Pridnestrovie and the peacekeeping operation on the Dniester. It must continue under any circumstances, including Moldova`s political demarches!” the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PMR Vitaly Ignatiev urged.
