CHISINAU, January 16. /ITAR-TASS/. Moldova’s government is not engaged in any talks about NATO accession, prime minister’s spokeswoman Liliana Vitu told journalists Thursday commenting on Russian media reports.
“According to the Constitution, Moldova is a neutral country, and this status is indisputable,” she said.
To change the neutral status, at least 86 deputies of the total 101 should approve excluding neutrality provisions from the Constitution. The ruling pro-European coalition has 53 seats and thus holds no constitutional majority in the Parliament, whereas the opposition Communist party which is now opposing joining NATO and association agreement with the EU has 34 seats.
However, this is no obstacle in the way of Moldova-NATO partnership plan that stipulates integration with the EU and closer political dialogue and contacts with euro-Atlantic organizations as the country's key strategic goals. The Moldovan Parliament recently ratified an agreement about participation in EU crisis management and a military accord with a NATO member, Romania, which opposition deputies considered a breach of the country’s neutrality and left the seating in defiance.
Last-year polls showed a measly 17 percent of Moldova’s population spoke in favor of accession to NATO.