Eurasia Press & News
The Russian Federation has no right to dictate to the President of Moldova which decrees sign, said Moldova’s Acting President Mihai Ghimpu in response to the Russian Foreign Ministry comment on awarding the Ilascu group.
During the joint interview with Romanian President Traian Basescu for the web portal hotnews.ro on Friday, Ghimpu said that his decree on awarding the Ilascu group was signed with a long overdue.
“Why should Russia tell me what decrees to sign? The case of Ilascu group reached Strasbourg, and the decision of the European Court for Human Rights clearly states who suffered and what happened there. Why should I take into account the opinions of those who like to dictate what I should do as president? I was guided by the truth and the decision of the Strasbourg Court,” said Ghimpu.
He does not believe that the leader of the Democratic Party (DP), Marian Lupu, shares Russia’s position regarding his decree.
Ghimpu denies the fact that the rapprochement of Moldova and Romania worsen relations with Russia.
“Most cold relations with Russia were in 1912 and 1940, and thereafter, the relationship was not better. What did we achieve over 20 years of independence, if the Russian army is still on our territory and the Transnistrian conflict still exists? I’m looking forward to the day when Russia will let us decide our own destiny. The ruling alliance has signed an agreement and the government program which stipulates that we want to build a special relationship with Russia. But these relations depend on Russia rather than on us”, said Ghimpu.
