The Senate of Romania approved yesterday, at the proposal of a group of parliamentarians PNL, the foundation Department for Integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union, with an overwhelming majority PSD-PNL-AUR-UDMR and unaffiliated. The project goes to the Chamber of Deputies. The department with a semi-pretentious name is actually a new political sinecure, as Romania already has a wide range of institutions that can (and some do) do the same. The need for a new department is unclear, and the motivation behind the legislative proposal is ridiculous, a few nonsensical paragraphs that actually indicate the role of the new structure: new sinecures and party(ies) PR.

The initiators of this new political sinecure suggest that Romania needs new institutional opportunities to help the Republic of Moldova. This is quite possible, but nowhere is it explained why the current institutions and departments that manage relations with Chisinau cannot provide technical assistance. Romania already offers technical support to the Republic of Moldova through the Romanian Diplomatic Institute, it has a special department for the Republic of Moldova with its own quite powerful apparatus, another department for Romanians everywhere, we even have a European Institute in Romania that can offer the same kind of assistance.

And of course we have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, line ministries, diplomatic missions or ROAid for such assistance. Okay, you could say that the new department (with an amendment that would make it institute ditamai) can play a coordinating role. But then why do we need it Special department for the Republic of Moldova? Nowhere is it explained what the relationship of this new institution/department will be with other institutions of the Romanian state that have the same goals.

And the main problem is that even the initiators do not know what this newly created department will do. According to the legislative proposal, it “provides technical assistance upon request and monitors (also) upon request the stage of completion of the negotiation chapters.” Bonus, prepare research (also on request). Sorry, but any of the institutions I mentioned above can do this, and some actually do (the Diplomatic Institute already provides technical support, and the IER is specifically designed for such things). And Moldova can hire any other public or private actor for this, there is no particular need to come to this new department.

A special mention of the current Department in Moldova (also led by the PNL, by the way). What else can be said in this situation, when all your colleagues neglect you and believe that you are not able to provide support to Moldova (although this is exactly your mission), which requires a new structure.

There is no mention of how all these departments and institutions will work together. As I suspect they were not even consulted, part of the PNL wanted to make their own toy on behalf of the Republic of Moldova. Of course, especially for the conservative wing of the PNL, it is good to announce that you have done something for Chisinau, rather than just shedding tears over a patriotic speech from the interwar period.

It is not mentioned what the needs of the Republic of Moldova are. The statement of reasons is based on the deviation, assessment of the European Commission (one of them, the last one, that we in the parliament do not know how to give references) who would say that Moldova is deeply behind in the adoption of the Community acquis and could not do without Romania.

I agree, Romania should offer all possible support to Moldova, and since it is the same Romanian language, it will help in the adoption of the acquis, but what exactly does the Republic of Moldova need? If the initiators had also read the evaluations in question, they would have found something more detailed, but this is not the case, they probably did not go beyond the summary. And it is surprising how they came to the conclusion that Moldova is already very late, according to the initiators, although the accession negotiations have not even started yet.

In theory, Romania can also help Moldova through official European instruments such as TAIEX or Twinning programs. It’s just that we are not really there, we were in the last places in the period of 2020-2022 in terms of projects and experts recorded in the eastern territory, including Moldova. Or it can support civil society in two countries (which usually does a much better job). But then you wouldn’t have your own PR toy.

The proposed structure of this new institute/department is also unclear. Headed by a Board of Directors, consisting of a President with the rank of Secretary of State, respectively a Vice President with the rank of Deputy Secretary of State, who will offer several positions later (sic!) and the salary will be in line with other similar positions in the Parliament. Yesterday, the UDR drew attention to the fact that this could open the way to new special pensions for these new positions of deputies.

And if we talk about the “Save Romania” Union. The USR was the only party to vote to remain in the bloc (16 abstentions out of 16), otherwise the PSD-PNL-AUR-UDMR majority functioned almost flawlessly. Of the 96 senators present, 75 voted “for” (PNL – 24 votes “for”, PSD – 34 “for”, 1 “against”, UDMR – 6 votes “for”, AUR – 6 votes “for”, 2 abstained). of voices for they were also from senators who left USR, current in REPER. And, of course, the vote was also peppered with statements by independent far-right senators that were not up for debate. A former AUR senator called Maya Sanda a sorosist who does not want a union, which shows that we also lack originality in the Senate. – Read the entire article and comment on Contributors.ro