Today, the construction of a democratic society that would involve citizens in the decision-making process and serve their interests has become extremely important for the Republic of Moldova's society. First of all, considering that the socio-economic and political reality after the parliamentary elections of November 2014 continues to face several difficulties in the country's sustainable development. It is facing difficult problems to solve: a serious democratic deficit, deep socio-political cleavages, blockages in the act of government and administration, multiple crises (political, constitutional, economic and social, value, institutional, identity), but also the absence of democratic traditions and democratic political culture, an extensive bureaucracy, a non-active civil society, and, implicitly, inefficient governance.
European Union and Russian Federation are playing a vital role in the further development of Moldovan society. Both the European Union and Russia are trying to influence the area so that the balance of power tilts in one of the forces. Through the Eastern Partnership, the EU has shown an active and self-interested position in an area that has traditionally been under the strict monitoring and oversight of the Russian Federation. Against the background of this area, Russia and the EU are two totally different actors, but both have the necessary strength to attract any state in their sphere of influence.
30 Likewise, the visions on this area are different, so the EU, through its soft, normative, and smart power, identifies itself as a force for change and modernization of states still in the transition stage from socialism to capitalism. For Russia, EaP poses a threat to its traditional area of influence.
Another way of understanding the Russian Federation's foreign policy is to investigate the new military doctrine approved in December 2014. Evaluating this document, a conceptual contradiction is observed that aims at a defensive appearance of the doctrine, but at the same time several elements of offensive policies. For example, one of the articles addresses information threats, which is why it is recommended to restrict access to information resources considered "anti-Russian" in Russia and promote military-patriotic actions.
Therefore, this concept is promoted not only in the Russian Federation's space but also in the territories where there are communities of this ethnic group. Based on the above, Putin's ideology is characterized by Russian nationalism and "civilizational" exceptionalism to turn Russia into a centre of Eurasia's attraction (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation 2014).
To dominate the area, several political, economic, demagogic, or military tools are used.
The politico-economic instrument involves using energy resources; for example, following the Ukrainian orange revolution of 2005, political pressure began on the new government by raising the price of natural gas. In this order of ideas, also Russia was using the embargo on certain products from states that have expressed their providential sympathies, realities that the Republic of Moldova has also suffered from. In 2006, imports of Moldovan wines were banned; the same policy was found in 2014.
One tool used by Moscow diplomacy to restore its influence is its use in the artificial amplification of certain religious, cultural, and linguistic issues in the states of interest of the Russian Federation. For example, the use of the language problem on the territory of Moldova, through certain actions that were to defend the circulation of the Russian language in this area.
This fact leads to the division of Moldovan society into Russian-speaking and Romanian-speaking. Colossal efforts are also being made to manipulate Russian minority communities in these areas, stimulating them to confront the central authorities under the motto of defending cultural autonomy (Prina 2013, 3-9).
The Ukraine crisis and the progress of the Republic of Moldova on the European path from 2013-2014 are the reasons why the Russian Federation got involved in an information war and intensified the methods of manipulation through the media in the Eastern space. The
31 multitude of false news, distributed through televisions on the Republic of Moldova's territory, demonstrated the extent of the information war.
An analysis of the content of all political news bulletins and talk shows broadcast by the three largest TV stations in Russia, under the control of the Kremlin - Pervii Canal, Russia 1 and NTV, over three and a half years, starting with 1 July 2014 - December 31, 2018 (all these stations also broadcast on the territory of the Republic of Moldova), reveals that 85%
(22,711 news) broadcast during this period about the EU and European states were negative.
The message of 88 percent of the negative news can be divided into the following 5 categories, forming for viewers a distorted image of Europe:
1) Life in European countries is full of horror scenes, unstable, with many dangers, the safety of a simple citizen being threatened at every step. To this end, accidents and crimes, natural and industrial disasters, as well as any other insignificant event, which is part of the
"trend" announced by the Russian media, are "explored." Similar events in Russia are ignored;
2) Europe is "degenerating, rotting, decaying" due to a lack of unity and a total decline in moral values. Expressions such as "Europe is about to fall apart," "The EU is an artificial creation," "There are no European values" are used. While Europeans are presented as individuals with poor moral qualities, decadents, Russians appear as "bearers of spirituality and real values,” which must defend these values, because the“ rotten Europe ”virus can also spread to Russia;
3) Europe is under constant terrorist attack and the police and security services are powerless. Sometimes crimes are presented as terrorist acts;
4) Sanctions against Russia and its counter-sanctions are hitting the EU so hard that more and more countries want to abolish them to survive. However, the USA does not allow them sanctions against Russia; Europe is under American control.
5) Europe faces a refugee crisis; thousands of hungry and dangerous immigrants are storming European cities, crushing the local population, committing crimes and terrorist attacks. The crisis is the consequence of Europe's mistakes because it supported the USA, which was involved in the war in Syria (Popovych 2018).
In the Republic of Moldova, the Russian or Russian-funded media are trying to convince citizens that the Eurasian Union is an equal alternative to the EU, which is in the process of dissolution. They fuel anti-Romanian and anti-Ukrainian sentiments, instilling in the citizens the Kremlin's narrative of Ukraine events.
32 Regardless of the Russian misinformation and pressure on Moldovan decision-makers, the European Union remains the absolute leader in terms of non-reimbursable financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova, since the beginning of the cooperation offering it over 900 million euros. The Cross-Border and Transnational Cooperation Programs are a unique tool for effective cooperation and capitalization of the regions' results through common approaches, financial and policy synergy. Since 2007, the European Union has launched a series of cross-border cooperation programs under the new European Partnership and Neighbourhood Instrument 2007-2013, continuing with the cross-border cooperation programs funded by the European Neighbourhood Instrument 2014-2020 (Aid Management Platform 2021).
External assistance is the main driver of economic, social and, to some extent, political development in the Republic of Moldova. However, the issue of the efficiency, relevance and impact of external assistance is not sufficiently discussed at both governmental and civil society levels. First of all, it is about the insufficiency of statistical data. The Republic of Moldova's Government does not have an up-to-date database that would contain all the information related to external assistance. The information is very scattered and sometimes difficult to access, although it is information of public interest, and access to it should be unhindered. A second element is the lack of a clear message from the EU; much European aid and assistance are not perceived by some Moldovan citizens, especially pro-Russian ones.
As mentioned in the previous paragraphs, the Association Agreement has generated some processes that impact the Republic of Moldova. The EU has become the republic's main trading partner, about 70% of Moldovan exports are destined for the Community market.
According to statistics, in the period 2006-2014, the European Union's share in the export of goods varied around the level of 50%. Following the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU, the share of exports to the EU has been steadily increasing from 53.3% in 2014 to 61.9% in 2015, 66% in 2016, and 68.8% in 2018 (Lupusor 2019).
Over the past 10 years, through the Eastern Partnership, the EU has become the nr.1 market for Moldovan products, surpassing Russia after 25 years. Thus, the EU has been able to impose it as an economic force in Moldova by providing technical and financial assistance, managing through the Association Agreement to transpose European rules and values in Moldovan legislation. Due to high corruption, divided society, conflict in Transnistria, Russia maintains Moldova in its sphere of interest. Russian propaganda and disinformation are the tools used efficiently in stopping Moldovan advancement in European development.
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CHPATER III
The failure of the Europeanization of the Republic of Moldova
In an attempt to make a synthesis of the political path started in 2009 by the new pro-European government in the Republic of Moldova, some rather cruel perceptions and conclusions will be made on the evolutions of the Moldovan state. The Republic of Moldova's successes in the first phase of this stage of realizing the external aspirations and the formula of progress with which the state is associated are hit head-on with the failures registered in the second half of the European decade. Triggering a large internal political crisis, degrading justice, corrupting the banking sector, bringing the pro-Russian political force into the legislature, and ignoring all recommendations made by the EU institutions as a whole, compromised the European perspective of the Republic of Moldova and launched a series of questions regarding the extent to which political representatives in Chisinau can still be considered credible in their statements on compliance with pro-European commitments.
The credit of trust given by society to the government has been exhausted. Moreover, an acute division of public opinion as a result of propaganda through media tools, a cleavage of the electorate encouraged by political parties and based on the geopolitical preferences of citizens, and a total uncertainty regarding the future of the Republic of Moldova are other factors that the Moldovan society is facing.