CHISINAU, June 8. /TASS/. Former Moldovan President Igor Dodon has revealed a plan in the works where the former Soviet republic would be swallowed up by Romania and warned of the danger of Moldova being dragged into a "bloody regional war."

"The military and political annexation of our country to Romania is in the works, with the renunciation of neutrality. <...> In order to lay the groundwork for this technical unification, Moldova had to demonstrate its inability to guarantee economic, energy and territorial security on its own. Citizens had to be demoralized so that they would stop believing in their own country," Dodon wrote on his Telegram channel on Wednesday. He noted that today there are a multitude of threats to energy, food security and the social sector. The crisis is exacerbated by Moldova joining the anti-Russian sanctions and talks on the need for Western countries to boost Moldovan defense capabilities. "The danger of being dragged into a bloody regional war and losing statehood is real," the former president argued.

According to him, "it is clearly visible that [Moldovan President] Maia Sandu and her foreign masters are following the Ukrainian scenario, stirring up a deliberate destabilization of the situation," and the West "wants to use Moldovans as cannon fodder in the geopolitical battle that is currently unfolding in the region." "In reality, all these armament developments and the anti-Russian hysteria are organized on purpose in order to justify the presence of NATO troops on the territory of the Republic of Moldova," he pointed out.

Discussions about joining Romania

This April, former Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said that the republic should merge with Romania if the Russian army "comes close to the country's borders." He added that while leading the Moldovan government (2013-2015) he found himself "in an identical situation" in 2014 and had "similar agreements" with the Romanian leadership.

A number of extra-parliamentary political parties in Moldova and Romania have long promoted the idea of uniting the two countries with the tacit consent of the pro-European governments in Chisinau. According to opinion polls, they have not yet gained wide support.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova declared independence, but politicians in neighboring Romania have viewed this territory part of their country and have advocated for unification. In 2018, Moldovan pro-unification parties celebrated the 100th anniversary of the events of 1918. Back then, Bucharest sent troops into Bessarabia, and the Sfatul Tarii (Regional Council), a government body created in Chisinau, voted for its integration with the neighboring country. In June 1940, following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Romania returned the territory to the USSR, which did not recognize its annexation.

The Romanian authorities have not yet ratified the basic political treaty with the republic.