Moldova ‘stuck in past’ without EU, president warns

ISTANBUL

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Wednesday that her country remains “stuck in the past” without the EU, as she marked the 34th anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union with European leaders in Chisinau.

“I want to say it clearly: there is no alternative to Europe, and without the European Union, Moldova remains stuck in the past,” Sandu said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

The leaders traveled to the Moldovan capital to attend Independence Day events.

Sandu called their presence a sign of respect and appreciation for Moldova and its people, saying history “has been cruel,” but the country achieved important goals in the past four years, including consolidating energy security “so that no one can blackmail us anymore.”

She said Moldova gained access to the European market, which she described as the largest in the world, where producers find “stability, clear rules and real opportunities, not embargoes and blackmail.”

“Today, our friends are here, next to us, to make it clear that Moldova matters, and joining the European Union is not a distant dream. But a project we are working on … We have no right to allow the terrible times to return, for there to be an unbridgeable chasm between us and Europe again,” she added.

Sandu said the idea that there is no alternative to Europe is reinforced “with every bomb dropped” on neighboring Ukraine.

“Today, our independence, our sovereignty, our peace are being tested more than ever: interference in our elections, illegal funding from abroad, disinformation campaigns, cyberattacks, paid protests, the use of the church and online platforms for anti-European messages, the sabotage of the diaspora vote, the propagation of hatred between communities,” she said.

The Moldovan leader described these challenges as “huge pressures,” arguing it will depend on Moldovans whether they succeed in halting the country’s EU path.

“We understand our responsibility. Last year, we fought a hard battle for democracy, and Moldovans impressed the entire world by standing up, by voting, in the face of much larger foreign forces. We will have the future we want only if we protect it. Only Moldovans must decide for Moldova,” Sandu said.

Macron, Merz and Tusk arrived earlier Wednesday in what the Elysee said was a visit to reaffirm support for Moldova’s sovereignty and European aspirations.

The independence celebrations came one month before Moldova’s parliamentary election, set for Sept. 28. Sandu’s ruling Party of Action and Solidarity, which holds a majority in parliament, is expected to face a unified opposition bloc formed by four parties.

Late last month, Sandu accused Russia of planning to interfere in the election to gain political influence, a claim Moscow has denied.