Debate contributions by Kristian VIGENIN

Mr President, dear colleagues, although there are just 12 days until the elections and referendum in Moldova, the EP cannot remain silent following the scale of foreign interference in the internal affairs of the country. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the strong, destructive role of oligarchs in the national politics in Moldova is not an exception. We have seen and still see such cases not only in our eastern neighbours, but also in central and eastern Europe. The deep and complex influence of such figures distort the political process and often deprive citizens from choosing freely the future of their own country. I raise my concern on the possible implications of the current situation on the security in the country, as well as on the relations of the government not only with Transnistria, but also Gagauzia. We need to act responsibly, and I would advise that we work closely with the OSCE, its mission to Moldova, and respectively with ODIHR and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The EU membership perspective has created additional tools for the international community to help Moldova restore its territorial and political integrity, and we should not allow that these new tools are misused in the opposite direction.