se times
03/12/2010
A new border pact frustrates unionists, but points the way towards a shared European horizon.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 03/12/10
A new border pact frustrates unionists, but points the way towards a shared European horizon.
By Paul Ciocoiu for Southeast European Times in Bucharest -- 03/12/10
Romania recently signed a border treaty with Moldova, finally completing a process that has dragged on since 2006. Among other things, it sets out the principles for border demarcation on waterways, regulates the use of border areas for hunting and fishing, and establishes a commission to maintain the boundary signs.
The agreement came just ahead of Moldova's November elections, and some see it as intended to boost the pro-European ruling coalition. Bloggers are reading between the lines.
"Romania had to do it, before joining the Schengen area, and the signals in this respect were given by both the European Commission and German Chancellor Angela Merkel," says Anne-Marie Blajan, a journalist specialising in European affairs.
Blajan argues the two countries had to sign the treaty now to defuse the communists' claims that Romania harbours an agenda of unifying with Moldova. Unfortunately, she says, Moldovan political parties -- even those in the ruling coalition -- accused Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat of pursuing electoral gains by signing the treaty.
"The battle before the elections seems to be the same anywhere: the national interest comes second. Moreover, this gesture was interpreted as a signal according to which Romania chose to support Filat in this electoral battle," Blajan said.
Some claim the treaty is just an image booster for Romania within the context of Schengen.
"Had it been a simple treaty, [Jose Manuel] Barroso wouldn't have announced it in Bucharest with such pomp. Things are in fact much simpler -- by this, we tried to score some points for the Schengen area accession," anonymous said.
The agreement came just ahead of Moldova's November elections, and some see it as intended to boost the pro-European ruling coalition. Bloggers are reading between the lines.
"Romania had to do it, before joining the Schengen area, and the signals in this respect were given by both the European Commission and German Chancellor Angela Merkel," says Anne-Marie Blajan, a journalist specialising in European affairs.
Blajan argues the two countries had to sign the treaty now to defuse the communists' claims that Romania harbours an agenda of unifying with Moldova. Unfortunately, she says, Moldovan political parties -- even those in the ruling coalition -- accused Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat of pursuing electoral gains by signing the treaty.
"The battle before the elections seems to be the same anywhere: the national interest comes second. Moreover, this gesture was interpreted as a signal according to which Romania chose to support Filat in this electoral battle," Blajan said.
Some claim the treaty is just an image booster for Romania within the context of Schengen.
"Had it been a simple treaty, [Jose Manuel] Barroso wouldn't have announced it in Bucharest with such pomp. Things are in fact much simpler -- by this, we tried to score some points for the Schengen area accession," anonymous said.
Unionists, who want the two countries to become one, are sharply disapproving of the treaty. "It is clear the EU pressed us and turned us upside down to consent to something we Romanians never thought would ever happen to us," Mihai Tuburlui said.
Schengen membership is no consolation to this blogger. "So what?" Tuburlui writes. "What will happen to our dream, in which the Romanians on both banks of the River Prut would be together?"
Others reject the argument and put the border deal in the larger European context. "Under the current circumstances, it is normal to have a strict delimitation between Moldova and Romania, as an EU member state. You can't have it any other way. Within this union, borders are intangibles and non-negotiable. This whole theme will become stale by the time Moldova joins the EU, whenever that happens," Un roman said.
Similarly, Marin views the fate of both countries as ultimately intertwined. "Moldova and Romania will both be member states of the EU. This is the future of our children," he concludes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
Schengen membership is no consolation to this blogger. "So what?" Tuburlui writes. "What will happen to our dream, in which the Romanians on both banks of the River Prut would be together?"
Others reject the argument and put the border deal in the larger European context. "Under the current circumstances, it is normal to have a strict delimitation between Moldova and Romania, as an EU member state. You can't have it any other way. Within this union, borders are intangibles and non-negotiable. This whole theme will become stale by the time Moldova joins the EU, whenever that happens," Un roman said.
Similarly, Marin views the fate of both countries as ultimately intertwined. "Moldova and Romania will both be member states of the EU. This is the future of our children," he concludes.
This content was commissioned for SETimes.com.
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