On February 11, 2020, President Igor Dodon came out in front of Moldova’s ambassadors and gave a speech in the most non-diplomatic manner.

“An ambassador’s appointment does not mean retirement, vacation or rest at a resort place as it used to be seen before, sort of a comfy position. I am saying it quite honestly and very harshly – we expect results from you. You are not on a vacation abroad,” Dodon talked sternly to the ambassadors who came to Chișinău for a brief meeting. They traveled thousands of kilometers, from Japan, China, as well as from European states to attend this meeting. 

The heavy words were falling, like pieces of pavement from the presidency, over the ambassadors’ bent heads. Nobody was looking at Dodon, feeling either embarrassment or despair. 

I know many of the ambassadors personally, having met them for 30 years at different events, in various capitals of the world. Some of them have an excellent education, extensive diplomatic experience, wide reading background, and working skills.

Why do ambassadors with diplomatic schools and expertise stand stooped in front of a president who builds his image on YouTube? Is it part of the president’s or the diplomats’ job description? No, it is not. 

On the duties of President of Moldova, Article 77 of the Constitution states, “The President of the Republic of Moldova represents the state and is the guarantor of the sovereignty, national independence, unity and territorial integrity of the country” and has no powers to participate at the Government or ministries meetings. If he chooses to attend the meetings, it is not his prerogative to scold them, nor to measure their performance.

The ambassadors’ attributions are subject to the minister of Foreign Affairs, which, according to the Regulation established by the law, “coordinates the activity of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Moldova abroad.” However, while the minister was silent, Dodon continued to insult. 

A video under the title Moldova’s ambassadors are not retired nor on vacation was posted on the YouTube page “President Igor Dodon.”

In this part, particularly selected by Dodon, he explains why he thinks that the ambassadors are indolent and lethargic.

“If we count, at each embassy, how many investors you attracted in Moldova and what the dynamics of the commercial exchange is, you will see that not every one of you will have something to boast about. (…) Be more proactive. You should be more insistent in organizing bilateral forums so that the president, the ministers may come,” Dodon said. 

Yes, that’s it. Dodon wants money and invitations to visit European capitals that he never had, but who is to blame? From other sources, I understood that Dodon is truly upset that by the end of his presidential term he did not manage to visit his neighbor’s and other European capitals.  

It is really a big problem that Bucharest and Kyiv, as well as many other capitals, have not accepted Dodon for almost four years. However, it is not the diplomats’ problem, since during all these years all Moldova’s prime ministers went on official visits in dozens of capitals. Thus, it turns out that the problem is with Dodon, not the diplomats.

I cannot vouch for any of these ambassadors. It is their choice whether they agree to work in this system and listen to the verbal abuse of such a president. 

Yet, as a citizen and a taxpayer, on behalf of the citizens of the ZdG community, I say that we long for ambassadors with a voice, we long for upright diplomats to make a stand against deceitful leaders who maintain power only through lying and robbing their own country. 

The next day, the Chicu Government reportedly dismissed a series of ambassadors that Dodon had reprimanded the previous day. Nobody heard any of the ambassadors say a word.

• Why all Moldova’s Ambassadors Came in Chișinău?
  

As long as well-read and intelligent people will tolerate being assembled and humiliated in public, abusive leaders like Dodon will get bigger, occupy public spaces and stay in them, as an affront to the intelligence of small taxpayers.

We stay on Guard.

Alina RADU, alina.radu@zdg.md