CHISINAU, January 13. /TASS/. Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s declared support for unification with Romania reveals her intention to ask for Bucharest’s help in overcoming the most profound economic crisis in Moldova, former Prime Minister Vlad Filat said, commenting on the opposition’s intention to impeach Sandu on high treason charges.
"It looks like Mrs. President is going to Bucharest again - for another batch of promises, grants or polite nods. Quite a typical scenario: she came, she asked, she went. And you, dear opposition, don’t be rushing to toll alarm bells… By the way, Moldova will stay where you left it. No geographical changes - on changes in the schedule of further appeals," Filat, the leader of the pro-European Liberal Democratic Party, wrote on his Telegram channel.
Back in 2012, he jump-started Sandu’s political career when he appointed her a minister in his cabinet. Now, however, he criticizes her disastrous policy.
Earlier, Sandu said that she would vote for Moldova’s unifying with Romania in a referendum, explaining her position by saying that "it is becoming more and more difficult for a small country to survive." She admitted however that Moldova doesn’t have a majority supporting the unification. Moldova’s biggest Party of Socialists demanded a probe be initiated immediately into Sandu’s potential high treason. According to the Party of Communists, Sandu’s statement could be seen as a reason for impeaching her.
Idea of unifying with Romania
A number of political parties in Moldova have been advancing the idea of unification with Romania for decades. They have also been calling for the withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Opinion polls indicated that the idea is supported by nearly 68% of the population in Romania, while only a third of Moldovans approve of such a step.
Following the revolution in Russia, Romania deployed its troops to the Bessarabia province of the former Russian Empire. The Soviet government refused to recognize this annexation and this territory was returned back to the Soviet Union in 1940. Moldova proclaimed independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, politicians in neighboring Romania consider this territory as part of their country and call for unification.
Sandu said earlier that she has a Romanian passport, like hundreds of thousands of Moldovans who opted to obtain Romanian citizenship to be able to freely travel across Europe. Today, however, Moldova itself enjoys a visa-free travel regime with the European Union.