Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Friday said that her country understands “what it means to have your homeland divided” during a visit to the Green Line separating Cyprus’ two sides in Nicosia’s old town.
She made the visit alongside her Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides as part of the first visit of a Moldovan head of state to the island in 22 years and explained that Moldova “is facing a similar problem” to that of Cyprus.
This comment was made in reference to the unrecognised ‘Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic’, which declared its independence from the Moldavian SSR, the predecessor of the modern Republic of Moldova, in 1990, and which was the scene of a bloody war between Russian-backed separatists and Moldovan forces between 1990 and 1992.
“We know what it means to have a divided homeland. We know how difficult it is. International law must be respected, and we must solve problems peacefully. It is very sad that this is happening. People must live together in their country,” she said.
Christodoulides then thanked Sandu for Moldova’s “longstanding stance on the Cyprus issue”.
“Moldova supports the territorial integrity, the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, and, of course, the solution within the framework of the United Nations’ resolutions, and at the same time, the EU, which is why this great effort is being made by the country to become an EU member state,” he said.
Earlier in the day, she had visited the presidential palace in Nicosia, where Christodoulides described her visit to the island as “historic”.
President Nikos Christodoulides, and the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, at the presidential palace
“Your visit takes place at a very important moment for Cyprus, for the European Union, 19 days before the assumption of the presidency of the Council of the EU, and I want to state that Cyprus fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova,” he said.
He added that during Cyprus’ six-month term as the holder of the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency, the country will “do everything to make substantial progress” in Moldova’s accession process to the EU.
“During the presidency and beyond, Cyprus will continue to be a strong supporter of your accession process,” he said.
Sandu, meanwhile, said that she believes that Cyprus’ six-month term as the Council of the EU’s president will be a “complete success”, and that Moldova “has high hopes” for the term.
Cyprus has in recent months shown a special interest in Moldova, with European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna having declared that the country “chose Europe” after the country’s pro-Europe Pas party handed the pro-Russian Bep party an electoral shellacking during parliamentary elections in September.
Sandu, said that she believes that Cyprus’ six-month term as the Council of the EU’s president will be a “complete success”
“Cyprus will work with ambition during its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union to deliver, together, on Moldova’s accession negotiations. Moldova is Europe and Europe is Moldova,” she said.
The election campaign in Moldova had been rife with allegations of Russian interference, with the country’s government claiming the Russian government had undertaken a campaign to sway the result.
The Russian government, meanwhile, accused the Moldovan government of disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of Moldovans by only opening two polling stations in Russia.
Raouna had visited Moldova and met the country’s Deputy Prime Minister Cristina Gherasimov in August, saying that Moldova has made “commendable progress in reforms and in defining the roadmap for tangible results” as it works towards accession to the EU.
As such, she said, when Cyprus holds the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency, “we will work to achieve together, hand in hand”.
“Enlargement has a renewed momentum, and we must seize it in a tangible way. In this context, we discussed concrete steps to further advance Moldova’s accession negotiations,” she said.
She then added that EU enlargement is “an integral, necessary component of the vision for a stronger, more prosperous and resilient union, which offers even more for its citizens, for Europe, and to the world as a stable and reliable partner”.
Cyprus, she added, “has been and remains a strong supporter of enlargement and is committed during its presidency to act as an honest broker and a constructive partner”.
To this end, a draft programme for Cyprus’ six-month term as the Council of the EU’s president seen by the Cyprus Mail in October said that Cyprus will focus on enlargement during its term.
“Enlargement is a geopolitical investment and a necessity in preserving peace, security and stability of our continent and beyond. It is also a driver for improving the economic and social conditions of our union and its citizens, through the expansion and strengthening of the internal market,” the programme states.
It adds that “an enlarged union will be stronger and more prosperous, fostering the values and principles upon which it is founded, including democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights”.
President Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Moldova, Maria Sandu, and Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos on a guided tour of the Green Line