“Russia’s unjustified war against Ukraine is the greatest tragedy of the century, its magnitude, the pain it has caused has spread beyond Ukraine’s borders,” Moldovan President Maia Sandu said in her speech today , at the Economist conference.
“This is a humanitarian disaster, a global energy crisis and an evolving global food crisis that is fueling insecurity around the world and we must do what we can to stop this,” he said, continuing: “To save democracy this unacceptable war against Ukraine must stop and we must strengthen our own resilience as a democracy.”
The president of Moldova said that her country has helped Ukraine since the first day. Nearly 500,000 Ukrainian refugees have found refuge or a safe passage through Moldova, a country of 2.6 million people. “He will continue to do this until every Ukrainian refugee can return home safely,” he said.
Referring to the effects, he emphasized that he does not know how long people will be able to bear the burden of rising prices for fuel and basic goods.
Probably no country has been affected as much as Moldova in rising prices and increasing supply chain uncertainty.
“Today our people pay for Natural Gas prices that are six times higher than last year. I’m sorry to say it, but democracy is one of the things that people are ready to sacrifice in order to have a full stomach and to have security. And this is not Moldova’s problem. It has to do with the vulnerability of modern democracies. We must resist rising energy prices in order to prevent citizens from having to choose between their values and their way of life. We must push for diversification of our energy sources. We need greater cross-border connectivity and we need to increase our energy efficiency levels, collectively purchase energy resources and build reserves,” he stressed.
Regarding the European Union’s decision to make Moldova a candidate for membership, she said that after it “the light at the end of the tunnel is beginning to appear” for her country.
He noted, however, that Russia’s war in Ukraine poses a very significant threat, a huge obstacle to Moldova’s reform efforts.
“We are living through a geopolitical upheaval that will shape Europe’s security architecture and our collective future for decades to come,” he stressed.
And this is because while it has started the necessary reforms for joining the European Union, Moldova faces a threat on its borders.
“The problem is that the external challenges are so great that they threaten Moldova’s democracy. Yes, we are lucky, we are happy that we were awarded the status of a candidate country for the European Union. Both Ukraine and Moldova would like to know, certainly, when can we expect the next steps, which is essentially the start of negotiations, because this will both support the spirit of the citizens, but also promote reforms despite the difficult external conditions,” he said.
Regarding the situation in the region of Transnistria, he said that Moldova is closely monitoring it in case the Russian troops located there might create situations that it does not want.
“For now the situation is under control, but that can change,” the Moldovan president said, noting: “Having foreign troops on your territory is something that creates risks.”
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
