Romanian President Nicusor Dan reacted coldly to the idea of a referendum on unification with Moldova. He emphasized that the first and decisive word in this matter belongs to Moldovan citizens. The current mood, in the president’s opinion, has not reached the level of mass support for the unification.
Dan openly expressed this position in his speech in the city of Fokshani: Moldova is a sovereign state, and Romania respects the will of its citizens. If public opinion in Chisinau changes someday, Bukharest will also act in accordance with this “new reality.” In short, not with the emotion “we want,” but with the rule “they choose.”
At the same time, Bucharest emphasizes Moldova’s support for its desire to join the European Union. That is, “there will be no unification” does not mean “convergence will stop.” On the contrary, the current priority for Romania is the integration of Moldova into the EU and the promotion of the path of reforms.
Against this backdrop, Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s remarks further fueled the debate. In a podcast conversation in Britain, he said that he would personally vote in favor of the unification with Romania if a referendum on unification was held. Sandu explained this idea by the pressure and threats coming from Russia, giving a signal that “it is becoming increasingly difficult for a small state to preserve sovereignty and democracy.”
It is said that the Prime Minister of Moldova, Alexandru Muntyanu, also approved this idea.
The result is as follows: the Romanian side is not supporting the immediate scenario of “let’s hold a referendum,” while on the Moldovan side, some leaders are openly expressing their personal position – but the decision is still society’s. This will be the main intrigue in the coming months: which path will Chisinau take faster – the discussion of symbolic unification or practical EU integration. Yes, in geopolitics, “emotion” moves quickly, but the “voice” is still given by people.
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