{"id":1554,"date":"2019-09-15T02:38:38","date_gmt":"2019-09-15T00:38:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/zdg.md\/eng\/?p=1554"},"modified":"2019-09-16T14:01:19","modified_gmt":"2019-09-16T12:01:19","slug":"chisinau-is-not-moscow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zdg.md\/en\/chisinau-is-not-moscow\/","title":{"rendered":"Chi\u0219in\u0103u Is Not Moscow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I do not know who calculated the strengths and weaknesses of the Socialist Party-ACUM Bloc governing coalition and who had the final word in taking this decision. Was this a pragmatic calculation? Was it mere mathematics? Was the calculation done for three months or for a four-year period? Were there any conditions set? And if yes, what were the conditions? And if not, why there were no conditions discussed? Is the trilateral Socialist Party-Solidarity and Action Party-Dignity and Truth Platform Party coalition an American, European and Russian project of Moldova\u2019s deoligarchization, as it is rumored? Or, is it a dubious new transaction between the decisive forces, similar to what happened in 1939, when Germany expressed no interest in Basarabia and it was left to Stalin’s discretion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is quite obvious that during the three months since the new parliamentary majority came to power, the “wind of change” has been blowing from Moscow rather than from Brussels and Washington. The Russian presence is now increasingly felt not only on the left bank of the Nistru River but on its right side too. And Igor Dodon’s “balanced policy” tilts more toward the East than the West. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dodon’s attempt to be a two-goal player is failing. In three years, he has made over 20 visits to Russia, only two to Brussels, and none to America. Dodon is not like Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who plays equally well on the attack and in defense. Dodon is a weak player. All his statements about being friends with the East and with the West are poor quality political parody. It is Putin who is Dodon’s great fortune (and to the same extent our misfortune). Without Putin, Dodon is \u201czero.\u201d Under different circumstances, Putin certainly would not need Dodon and would not pamper him, but Putin wants to get revenge at the mouth of the Danube and he needs a Dodon, just like Selim the sultan needed Ieremia Golia in the Cahul fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dodon has traveled to Russia much more often during the three months of his administration of the new majority coalition, and the Russians travelled as often to Chi\u0219in\u0103u. Only last week, he flew twice to Moscow, under the pretext that he would have to discuss the price of gas for Moldova with Russian officials and with Putin directly. On his return, he said that Putin generously promised that, next year, we will have a discount of up to 70 percent on Russian gas. He\u2019s lying through his teeth. 
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