Friday

29th Mar 2024

Moldova's new PM to continue pro-European course

  • Woman selling apples in Chisinau. Inflation in Moldova is around 8 percent (Photo: Tony Bowden)

Moldova's pro-European government has a new prime minister, seven weeks after Chiril Gaburici quit over allegations that he had fake school diplomas.

Valeriu Strelet received a slim majority support from the eastern European nation's parliament on Thursday (30 July), according to international media.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Later in the day he was sworn in as prime minister. A banking crisis, corruption, and inflation are among the most pressing challenges faces him.

Moldova, virtually landlocked between its bigger neighbours Romania and Ukraine, chose to continue its pro-European course in elections last November, but has suffered from both a political crisis and a banking scandal.

Shortly before the elections, at least €900 million went missing from Moldova's banking system. The figure represented around one eighth of the country's GDP.

In response, the National Bank of Moldova has started printing money, resulting in inflation of around 8 percent and a devaluation of the country's currency. The central bank has steadily increased its interest rate from 8.5 percent in January to 17.5 percent on Thursday.

On top of that, prime minister Gaburici was accused of falsifying his high school and university diplomas, and resigned in June, only four months after coming to power. The coalition of three centre-right and centre-left parties was initially unable to approve a previous candidate for the post.

Strelet, a compromise candidate, was voted in Thursday with the slimmest possible margin. He received the support of 52 of 101 MPs.

He promised to fight corruption, ensure rule of law, and improve the state of Moldova's economy.

“The safest way to achieve these goals is the European integration”, Strelet said.

His appointment was welcomed by the EU and the US.

In a statement, the EU noted “the reform of the justice sector and the fight against corruption need real decisive action”.

The EU recently signed an association agreement with Moldova, but it noted the agreement “will only be able to unfold its full benefits to all citizens if Moldova lives up to its reform commitments”.

Moldova's pro-European course should be seen in the wider context of the struggle for influence between the EU and Russia in former Soviet states.

In an apparent move to strike a balance, Strelet told parliament his government also “intends to encourage a political dialogue with the Russian Federation for the normalisation of bilateral relations in trade, economic, energy and migration spheres".

Analysis

A union between Moldova and Romania: On the cards?

A group of Romanian MPs is promoting the idea of re-unification between Romania and the Republic of Moldova. The issue raises many questions, not least how Russia would react.

Opinion

How to fix Moldova

The EU must help Moldova to deal with its current crisis, but "pro-European" forces who fail to fight corruption will not be tolerated, Lithuania's foreign minister says.

EU reacts to Russia PM's 'Cold War' speech

The EU’s top diplomat says there’s no new Cold War with Russia. France and Germany agree. But Lithuania and Poland are less sure. "It’s a hot war," Lithuania says.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us