Russia recognizes new Moldovan authorities

MOLDOVA

Andrei Nesterenko, the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman, has stated at a briefing in Moscow on Thursday the official Moscow hopes the new Parliament of Moldova will manage to prevent a possible political crisis in the republic.

Asked to comment the forthcoming stepping down of Vladimir Voronin as President of Moldova, Nesterenko said Russia is proceeding from an assumption that the new Parliament will be acting on the basis of compromises and will thus succeed in creating a stable political union that will prevent Moldova from sliding down into a systemic political crisis fraught with negative consequences for the economic development of the Republic of Moldova, for its external political commitments, and for the Transnistrian conflict settlement process.

In his words, Russia is expressing hope that the political parties elected to the new Moldovan legislative assembly will concentrate efforts on creating conditions necessary for establishing the forum’s constructive activity and for forming a sustainable power structure capable of focusing on solving essential economic and social problems.

The Spokesman confirmed the Russian side’s readiness for further bilateral cooperation with Moldova in all priority directions.

Observers perceived the above statements as Russia’s official recognition of the new Moldovan authorities and Moscow’s preparedness to collaborate with them.

Last August 21, Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin flew to Sochi city (Russia) on his own initiative to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Commenting that meeting, many Russian publications, including those close to the Kremlin, wrote that the Moldovan leader went to Sochi not only to say farewell but to try and enlist Russia’s support as regards the formation of a left-centrist coalition in the Moldovan Parliament to thus help the Communists preserve dominance in Moldova. Russian papers wrote those days that Voronin had failed to enlist such backing, while President Medvedev stated he would be collaborating with that power which had received voters’ trust.