One of Moldova’s main reasons for joining the European Union has always been security, and now Chisinau has indicated that it can also help the bloc with security issues, writes Politico.
Moldova’s deputy prime minister for European affairs Cristina Gerasimov told Politico that Moldova’s EU membership is often described as a security guarantee for the country, and it is, but it is also an investment in Europe’s security itself. The small country, located between Romania and Ukraine, has become a testing ground for Russian hybrid attacks, and as a result, has learned the best ways to counter the threats posed by Moscow.
Stanislav Secrieru, national security adviser to Moldovan President Maia Sandu, said Moldova can also contribute hard-won knowledge and tried-and-tested solutions to counter Russia’s hybrid threats.
The Moldovan government has accused Russia of large-scale influence campaigns and efforts to destabilize the country ahead of elections in 2024 and 2025. The Kremlin’s tactics have included vote buying and cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, as well as the use of “troll farms” to spread disinformation online.
Moscow has denied interfering in Moldova’s electoral process.
Olga Rosca, Sandu’s foreign policy and EU affairs adviser, said Moldova is a canary in the coal mine for Moscow’s tactics elsewhere, and the elections are the easiest way for Russia to extend its influence.
Moldova has also dismantled a cross-border network set up by Moscow that trained young men and women in secret camps in Bosnia and Serbia to carry out operations in France and Germany. According to an investigation by Politico, the camps trained young people to fly drones, handle explosives and evade law enforcement during protests. Secrieru said Moldova has shared its knowledge with EU member states that are due to hold elections this year and next. He added that Moldova has successfully implemented measures to combat Russian influence through trial and error, and can share its experience in preventing the use of illicit sources of funding, combating disinformation and cyber threats, and securing the electoral process.
Hungary’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for the 12th of April, and it is particularly important for both Brussels and Moscow, as they will determine whether Budapest will retain a Kremlin-friendly leadership or if the country will move closer to the EU. Elections are scheduled for next year in France, Italy, Spain and Poland.
French authorities have reported detecting low-level disinformation campaigns linked to Russia ahead of local elections in March,
but have warned that the risk will be higher ahead of next year’s presidential election. Disinformation campaigns and other hybrid operations are likely to benefit populists, including the far-right National Alliance party, which is currently leading the polls and has historically been friendly to the Kremlin.
In a document obtained by Politico and shared with EU officials after Moldova’s elections last year, the Moldovan government has said that the path to joining the bloc is very narrow. Moldovans have stressed that the victory of pro-European parties opens a window of opportunity, but failure to seize it could lead to growing support for populist forces that favor Russian interests. This would have far-reaching consequences for security across the region.
Sandu has been touring European countries to present her case for Moldova’s membership. The EU has linked Chisinau’s application to Kyiv’s, and official talks have stalled because Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán opposes Ukraine’s EU membership.
Addressing the Latvian Parliament on the 1st of April, Sandu called Moldova’s accession a matter of strategic alignment, stressing that leaving countries like Moldova outside the bloc is a gift to the Kremlin.
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