Romania does not deem necessary a basic political treaty with the Republic of Moldova, ambassador nominee Marius Lazurca told lawmakers of the foreign affairs committees during hearings yesterday. He underlined however that what is needed as soon as possible is a treaty to support Moldova’ EU accession efforts, a treaty that would confirm Romania’s support for its neighbour in the accession process.

Lazurca, who got committees’ nod as ambassador to Moldova yesterday, with 20 votes in his favour and one against, also talked about his priorities and plans on the job and underlined that bilateral ties would not be as good if Romania validated the existence of a Moldovan nation. “We see in Moldova a state with which we have linguistic, cultural and profound spiritual ties,” Lazurca said, answering a lawmaker’s request to detail his view of what “Moldovan nation” means. The diplomat underlined that in Chisinau, there is also a constitutional problemme as regards Romanian language and that some politicians want to change the country’s fundamental law so as to make Romanian the official language. The so-called Moldovan language is practically identical to Romanian, although the previous communist rule in Chisinau insisted they were different, in its efforts to sway away from Romania.

Bucharest has repeatedly reiterated its support for Moldova’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, but does not agree with the concept of Moldovan nation and language, separately from the Romanian ones. During yesterday’s hearing, Lazurca underlined that FM Teodor Baconschi recently denounced the notion of Moldovanism, as being harmful to bilateral ties and efficient collaboration. “Romania rejects any process designed to accredit the idea of a Moldovan nation and language, different from the Romanian ones, based on scientific arguments,” Baconschi said recently.

Lazurca also suggested to lawmakers the creation of a joint investment bank with the support of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The diplomat said this idea should be carefully analysed by financial specialists and underlined that such a project would stimulate and guarantee mutual investments in the two countries, significantly increasing their economic importance. “Economic connections create a tight connection between two countries. I think economic dialogue, trade exchanges pave the way to a close bilateral relationship,” he said. In the context, the diplomat explained that Romania is currently only the ninth largest investor in Moldova.

His priorities on the post will include the creation of a cultural institute in Chisinau and setting up common media space in order to consolidate bilateral ties. Given that the Romanian cultural centre in Chisinau currently exists “only on paper,” Lazurca pleaded for the creation of a “Mihai Eminescu” institute in the Moldovan capital. He also said the two countries should organise sports events or cultural projects together.

Lazurca, who previously served as envoy to the Holy See, was named on the job last month and already received the approval of Moldova’s acting President Mihai Ghimpu. The ambassador post had been vacant since April last year when the previous envoy, Filip Teodorescu was declared persona non-grata by then President Vladimir Voronin, in the wake of post-election demonstrations in the Moldovan capital. Voronin’s communists accused Romania of stoking the protests, a charge Bucharest repeatedly denied.

FM meets Moldovan delegation

Meanwhile yesterday, a delegation of the Moldovan Parliament’s committee for foreign policies and European integration was on a Bucharest visit and met FM Baconschi and Romanian Parliament counterparts. After the meeting, Baconschi insisted that the projects agreed during a Moldova visit by President Traian Basescu be carried out as soon as possible. The projects refer, among others, to connecting energy and railway infrastructures from both countries. Funds for the programmes will also come from a special EUR 130 M fund Romania has at its disposal for joint projects with Moldova and Ukraine.