Lithuanian foreign minister: Moldova’s government must work with Transnistria

“European determination exists, but, unfortunately, sometimes certain politicians still continue with the old traditions under the cover of European slogans, and corruption is quite widespread. It is undermining people’s trust in the European choice, and when the living standards are low and there’s corruption, all those thefts create an atmosphere in which it’s difficult to trust the government declaring the European path and the continuity of European reforms,” Linkevičius told BNS by phone from Chisinau.

Moldova ‘s central bank established in April that around 1 billion US dollars had disappeared from the country’s three banks, making 10,000 people take to the streets in Chisinau on Sunday to express their dissatisfaction.

Nevertheless, Linkevičius says, anti-government protesters are also pro-European.

Accompanies by his Swedish counterpart, Linkevičius has already met with Speaker of the Parliament of Moldova Andrian Candu, Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman and is also scheduled to meet with the country’s Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici.

According to the Lithuanian foreign minister, Moldova expects clearer support to its European perspective ahead of the upcoming Eastern Partnership program in Riga, adding that any attempts to postpone such a perspective would lead to the flare-up of the Transnistrian conflict.

“It’s currently not that active as now there’s plenty of work for neighboring Russia in eastern Ukraine, Crimea, and there are ongoing processes in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. So there’s plenty of action elsewhere, but Transnistria, with no doubt, is one of such zones, frozen conflicts, which can be activated,” Linkevičius told BNS.