MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the state of play of the EU-Moldova cooperation

2.5.2022 - (2022/2651(RSP))

to wind up the debate on the statement by the Commission
pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure

Emmanuel Maurel
on behalf of The Left Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0240/2022

B9‑0240/2022

European Parliament resolution on the state of play of the EU-Moldova cooperation

(2022/2651(RSP))

The European Parliament,

− having regard to the Association Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Moldova, of the other part[1], which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area and which fully entered into force on 1 July 2016,

− having regard to the application of the Republic of Moldova (hereinafter referred to as Moldova) to join the European Union, submitted on 3 March 2022;

− having regard to the letter of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova to the President of the European Parliament received on 16 March 2022 requesting an increase in macro-financial assistance to Moldova,

− having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas unexplained explosions have occurred in parts of Transnistria, a breakaway territory within Moldova that has hosted Russian troops for decades, sparking fears that Moscow’s war could soon stretch beyond Ukraine and create a new theatre of conflict in eastern Europe;

B. whereas comments by Russian officials about the region - including a senior Russian commander’s statements that the army’s plan to capture southern Ukraine would open up a land corridor stretching to Transnistria and Russian ‘control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there are cases of Russian-speaking people being oppressed’ - have raised intense concern in Moldova that Transnistria is included in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war strategy;

C. whereas Moldova is militarily neutral but has unequivocal European aspirations and an economy heavily dependent on both the West and Russia and is Ukraine’s most fragile neighbour; whereas the Russian war against Ukraine is having an enormous impact on Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest nations, threatening its economic development, straining its society because of the arrival of waves of refugees and evoking existential fears of yet another Russian occupation;

D. whereas Moldova received over 360 000 refugees from Ukraine in two weeks, 100 000 of whom have stayed in the country, putting its resources under an enormous strain; whereas the arrival of refugees required the government to take immediate action, such as providing medical assistance, addressing housing needs and organising transport for those travelling to other countries; whereas the healthcare system, which was already extremely weak before the pandemic and the start of the war, is under significant strain;

E. whereas people in Moldova continue to demonstrate extraordinary solidarity with the Ukrainian people; whereas they are providing accommodation, food, administrative assistance and friendship without receiving any state support; whereas despite important EU and Member State decisions on support for refugees in Moldova, many challenges remain;

F. whereas Moldova is dependent on Russian gas and on large amounts of electricity supplied via the breakaway region of Transnistria; whereas Moldova’s current electricity supply contract is with Moldgres, a company based in Transnistria and owned by Russian giant Inter RAO; whereas the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline, which de facto connects the Republic of Moldova to the European energy system via Romania, has proved rather ineffective, as the gas coming via Romania remains more expensive than that supplied by Gazprom;

G. whereas the war in Ukraine has disrupted export and import routes; whereas local farmers heavily dependent on the Russian market have almost totally lost access to it;

H. whereas EU provided EUR 150 million euro in additional macro-financial aid to Moldova in March 2022 to help it cover part of its external financing needs; whereas the Commission provided an additional EUR 53 million budget support programme for Moldova on 5 April; whereas Moldova was pledged EUR 695 million in financial aid at an international donor conference in Berlin on 5 April 2022;

I. whereas heavy reliance on imports to meet food needs has left Moldova vulnerable to disruptions of imports from Ukraine and Russia; whereas serious disruptions are expected to increase price pressures, in turn eroding household incomes, especially for the poor; whereas the government, which has a strong mandate, parliamentary support and trust among citizens and international partners must find ways to mitigate the economic impact of the current crisis;

1. Expresses its solidarity with the people in Moldova in view of the worsening security situation in eastern Europe; commends the solidarity and support provided by the Moldovan authorities, as well as Moldovan citizens, to the 400 000 Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter in Moldova or transiting through it; underlines that these refugees are in need of shelter, food, healthcare and sanitation;

2. Reiterates its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova;

3. Reiterates its strong condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a war of aggression which constitutes a serious violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter, and for which there is no justification; condemns Belarus’s involvement in this aggression; demands that Russia immediately stops all hostilities, bombardments and attacks on civilians and withdraws all military and paramilitary forces from Ukraine;

4. Expresses deep concern at the escalation of the war, which has the potential of spreading into the countries neighbouring Ukraine and escalating into a confrontation between Russia and NATO; urges Russia in the strongest terms to turn back from the path of violence and aggression it has chosen and to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations;

5. Expresses deep concern at the worsening security situation in Moldova as result of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which increased the short-term likelihood of a revival of the currently inactive conflict in the breakaway Transnistria region;

6. Notes that the longer the war lasts in neighbouring Ukraine, the more humanitarian, security and socioeconomic assistance Moldova will need; calls on the Commission, therefore, to further increase financial and technical assistance to Moldova and tasks the Commission to analyse whether the payment of instalments can be brought forward; takes note of the request of the Moldovan authorities for an increase to the recently adopted macro-financial assistance operation from EUR 150 million to EUR 300 million, including an increase from EUR 30 million to EUR 150 million in grants in order to help Moldova bridge the significant budgetary gap created by this crisis; stresses that this increase is essential, as the current amounts were decided prior to the conflict in Ukraine;

7. Notes that the COVID-19 pandemic and the drought in the summer of 2021 have had a serious negative impact on Moldova’s economy, which has contracted by 7 %; notes that the gas crisis has not been resolved yet, as gas and electricity tariffs continue to rise; encourages the Commission to show stronger energy solidarity with Moldova by providing additional support in this area, including increasing interlinkages of energy with the EU and the countries in the region;

8. Rejects and expresses concern about the 3 March 2022 statement by the authorities in the occupied Transnistria region of Moldova announcing an end to the conflict settlement process and making a renewed call for the recognition of the so-called independence of Transnistria; reiterates its support for a comprehensive and peaceful settlement of the Transnistria conflict through the 5+2 negotiation process based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within its internationally recognised borders, with a special status for the Transnistrian region within a viable Moldovan state; underlines that any resolution to the Transnistrian issue must respect Moldova’s sovereign right to choose its own defence and foreign policy orientation;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the President, Government and Parliament of Moldova and the President, Government and Parliament of the Russian Federation.

 

• [1] OJ L 260, 30.8.2014, p. 4.