Does Moldova See the Unification with Romania as Statal Destabilization?

For those unfamiliar with the subject, there is a controversy – the opposition leader in Romania, George Simion, is persona non grata in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. He got his first entry ban to enter Moldova in 2018. At that time, he was actively campaigning for the unification of Moldova with Romania; the two sister countries had been separated after WWII when Moldova became a Soviet State under the USSR.

Igor Dodon, the then-Moldovan President, issued an order in 2018 to prevent George Simion from entering the country. As Dodon was supported by the pro-Russian parties, the presidential decree was viewed as Moscow’s order to forbid any pro-unionist movement within Moldovan borders.

The decree was prolonged with another five-year term in 2023, and Simion could not enter the Republic of Moldova until 2028.

The current Moldovan Prime Minister, Dorin Recean, justifies the decision: “Simion is part of the destabilization efforts against the Republic of Moldova.” Is he?

AUR’s president’s reaction was quick and blunt:

I am not surprised by the statements made by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Recean, regarding the decision to extend my entry ban. I was banned all my life in the Republic of Moldova, and this was due to my actions that openly aimed to unite the two Romanian states. At Ciolacu’s urging, Mr. Recean nonchalantly says that I am participating in an effort to destabilize the Republic of Moldova.

Yes, I agree with him, considering that the unionist movement destabilized the plans of the successors of Plahotniuc and Dodon and the Sorosist globalists who poured heavy money into Moldova to keep the country in perpetual uncertainty.

George Simion, AUR’s president, on his entry ban in Moldova

Former Moldovan officials, now without any public responsibility, tried to impose the idea that Simion was banned because he met FSB officers in Kyiv. Still, no evidence was presented to support this scenario.

This is why the Romanian PM, Mr Marcel Ciolacu, asked the two states to clarify things and offer a public justification for the ban. The power games in Bucharest might influence the moment the two countries reply to Romania’s PM intervention, which depends on how voting intention in Romania evolves. Let us not forget that we are in 2024, and the country has five rounds of elections, with Marcel Ciolacu and George Simion as potential political opponents during the Presidential campaign.

The question now is – why did the pro-European politicians in Moldova decide, as their pro-Russian predecessors, that Simion is still a risk to Moldova’s stability? And the ultimate question is whether the unification between the two countries is considered a destabilization effort.

Opinion polls show that the number of Moldovans who want unification with Romania is decreasing. In 2021, an opinion poll showed that Moldovans would instead choose to join the European Union – EU (50%) or the Eurasian Economic Union – EAEU (49%) than get back to their motherland, Romania (30%) or NATO (20%). The questions presented unique scenarios, and the respondents didn’t have to choose between them but to answer each one.

Instead of a conclusion here: if the current Moldovan generation desires to join the EU rather than unify with their sister country, the entry ban is entirely justified.

In this context, we must admit that George Simion’s efforts to unify Romania with Moldova have the destabilizing potential for a country that wants to be left alone to live its happy life or be part of the so-called European family of EU member countries after joining.