CHISINAU, September 19. /TASS/. Moldova should conduct a well-balanced foreign policy and be friends with Russia, the EU and neighboring countries, Moldovan President Igor Dodon wrote on Facebook on Wednesday, commenting on the "pro-Moldovan" course declared by the ruling Democratic Party of Moldova.
"Moldova should have good relations with everyone. We should be friends with Europe, the Russian Federation and our neighbors - Ukraine and Romania. So, I introduced the ‘pro-Moldova’ message last year at a discussion with ambassadors," Dodon noted. He explained that he promotes this balance in foreign policy.
"This is my position - good relations with all of them. It is impossible to be friends with the Europeans against the Russians or [to be friends] with the Russians against the Europeans or the Americans. Still, unfortunately, that’s the way it has been for the last nine years," Dodon noted, commenting on the statement of the coalition of pro-European parties, which came to power in 2009, gained support from Washington and Brussels and promised to achieve the country’s accession to the EU.
However, the "pro-European" government was marked by an economic crisis, a series of corruption and political scandals and a cooling in relation with Moscow. The latest polls showed that the absolute majority of the population does not trust the authorities, and the number of supporters for the course for European integration proclaimed by the government - though Moldova received a visa-free entry to the EU - has dropped from 70% to 37% since 2010. These sentiments affected the 2016 presidential election, in which Dodon, who supported the restoration of relations with Russia, won.