Press Review // Moldova's security concerns amid Russian interference and U.S. aid halt
National publications are drawing attention to the difficulties Moldova is facing in the current geopolitical context, addressing issues related to state security, investment projects, and even electricity bills.
The press also highlights how Moldova could potentially triple the average wage and what actions the authorities are planning to reduce the exodus of specialists from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Several national publications focus on a statement made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who, from the very first moment of his address to the French people, also discussed the situation in Moldova, in the context of global geopolitical events. "Putin’s Russia is manipulating elections in Romania and the Republic of Moldova," the French leader pointed out on Wednesday in a televised speech, in which he spoke about the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the stability of Europe as a whole, as reported by Deschide.md. "If one country invades another, no one can be certain of anything anymore; we are entering a new era internationally," Macron said, as quoted by several publications.
The security test for Europe. Will it manage to replace U.S. support for Ukraine? – looks for answers in an editorial published by Agora. The clock for Europe’s rearmament has started ticking, notes the author of the article. According to experts, European leaders have between two and four months to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of American military support, which is the time left before Ukraine will experience serious problems on the front, highlights Laurențiu Pleșca.
Ukraine is acting as a shield for Moldova, and without effective air defense, Russian missiles and drones could more frequently enter the national airspace, says security expert Artur Leșcu from WatchDog.MD, cited by Radio Chișinău. Political analyst Nicolae Negru also comments on the United States’ decision to stop military aid to the neighboring country, which is at war. Together, the EU countries have the economic, human, and technical potential to support Ukraine, even in the absence of the United States, but time is needed for the support to be mobilized, Negru comments, as cited by Radio Chișinău.
Moldova needs to identify new sources of funding, experts suggest, after the U.S. paused foreign aid, according to Moldova 1. The author of the article reminds that in his speech in Congress, U.S. President Donald Trump listed several countries, including Moldova and Serbia, claiming they used American government funds for unnecessary programs. These statements contain several errors, and the mentioned expenses are not accurate, and they would serve as a pretext for the American administration to stop the USAID funding program, said WatchDog expert Mihaela Sirețeanu in an interview with Moldova 1. These financial resources have been used to support a free press in Moldova, and Trump's statement was a misinterpretation of a project meant to support democracy, added the expert.
The United States will continue to support Moldova despite its new stance on U.S. foreign aid, believes Black Sea region expert Mihai Isac, quoted by Moldova 1. However, the expert emphasized that while the Trump administration clarifies its foreign policy objectives, Moldova should rethink its strategies for attracting funding and strengthen its partnerships with the European Union, especially in an election year, threatened by Russian propaganda and disinformation.
Moldova rejects Russia's insinuations about violating the Vienna Convention, as the presidency has not yet received Russian ambassador Oleg Ozerov to present his credentials, TV8 reports. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that it consistently applies the provisions of the Convention and that it is the host state that decides when the credentials are presented, the cited source adds.
Diplomatic relations between Moldova and Russia are deteriorating daily, according to Agora in the first edition of the "Time Will Tell" project. With each drone that crosses or falls on the territory of our country, Moldovan authorities gain confidence and "break" ties formed 30 years ago, to the joy of some and the harsh criticism of others, concludes project author Cristi Mariuța.
Moldova aims for accelerated economic growth, with the goal of doubling its GDP over the next decade. This would be achieved through the implementation of the Growth Plan, which includes a financial support package of 1.9 billion euros from the European Union. According to Dumitru Alaiba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, such a development could lead to a tripling of the average wage. The statement was made in an interview in Brussels for Agora. "What do we do with this facility, this growth plan? First and foremost, it is a set of critical reforms in various sectors, from the private sector, the capital market, increased access to financing, education, energy infrastructure, the labor market, and many other sectors. So, each reform we implement aims to increase economic potential. But in addition to this set of reforms, known as the reform agenda, we are also talking about investments that will support and accelerate the effects of these reforms."
"Police salaries, insufficient! The Ministry of Internal Affairs acknowledges the imbalance in the system," headlines Bani.md. The Ministry of Internal Affairs recognizes that the current level of salaries is insufficient to attract and retain specialists in the system, reports the publication. According to the authorities, in 2024, Moldova’s police system faced a significant personnel deficit, with a turnover rate of 12%, while the number of new recruits increased by only 13%. "We will focus on the attractiveness of the police profession. Salary increases were 10% starting in January, but we want these increases to be even higher," said Interior Minister Daniella Misail-Nichitin. The latest data show that the salary of a starting police officer is 11,000 lei, according to bani.md.
The Ministry of Energy promotes the implementation of energy efficiency solutions on a larger scale among the population, notes Moldova 1. A well-insulated house can reduce energy consumption by half, and an efficient appliance uses half the electricity of an outdated one, the article emphasizes. State Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Carolina Novac, mentioned Wednesday on the "Good Morning" show on Moldova 1 that, since Moldova lacks its own resources, such as natural gas, one way to reduce electricity bills and alleviate pressure on the national energy system could be to implement various energy efficiency solutions. According to authorities, in recent years, Moldova has reduced its electricity consumption by about 10%.
73 million euros will be invested in the energy renovation of 30 public buildings, including 16 higher education institutions and 14 regional hospitals, according to ECO FM. On the radio station’s website, we learn that the projects will be implemented under a loan agreement between Moldova and the French Development Agency. Most of the educational buildings to be renovated are in Chișinău, while the hospitals are located in Chișinău and Bălți municipalities, as well as in eight districts of the country, ECO FM notes.
Meanwhile, several media outlets are addressing the topic of electricity compensation promised by the authorities. Consumers who did not receive compensation in their February bills will receive it in March for both months, according to IPN, citing clarifications made by Minister of Labor and Social Protection, Alexei Buzu, at the Government's meeting. "All families in Moldova will benefit from electricity compensation for consumption from February to December 2025," said the minister, quoted by IPN. The compensations cover the tariff increase for the first 110 kWh consumed, which represents 80% of the average monthly consumption for a family in Moldova, according to the news agency.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
