Cioroianu on Chișinău and Bucharest: "One actor controlling everything breeds conflict"
The Republic of Moldova and Romania are currently experiencing political instability, highlighted by the resignation of Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu in Chișinău and a deadlock in forming a new government in Bucharest. While the crises stem from different causes, there are notable similarities. According to Adrian Cioroianu, a former Foreign Minister of Romania, a single party or leader is attempting to claim exclusive control of the agenda for European integration or major reform initiatives.
"We would be tempted to say that the Republic of Moldova is also in crisis, and Romania is also in crisis. There are similarities, no doubt, but there are also differences. In Bucharest it is a coalition crisis, while in Chisinau it is more of a dispute within a ruling party", compared Adrian Cioroianu, on the "Zi de Zi" show on Radio Moldova.
According to him, the current tensions in Chisinau do not threaten the European direction of the Republic of Moldova but rather reflect competition among several political groups seeking to participate in the European integration process.
"It is not the European path that is in danger, but rather the fact that a single party seems to assume this process exclusively", commented the former head of diplomacy in Bucharest.
The solution to this problem could be to broaden the political base by co-opting several pro-European actors, he says.
Munteanu's resignation, "political conflict"
Commenting on the explanation offered by Alexandru Munteanu about the reason for his resignation, namely that he could no longer exercise his mandate "in accordance with his principles and beliefs", Adrian Cioroianu believes that behind this formulation lies a political conflict, not an institutional one.
According to the former Romanian Foreign Minister, the rift occurred between the politically unaffiliated prime minister and ministers close to the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS).
"Most of the ministers were members or close to PAS. Mr. Munteanu was not a member and this is where the rift occurred", Cioroianu opined.
The prime minister allegedly encountered difficulties in managing the relationship with ministers who had political support and tried to lead the Executive from a politically neutral position, Cioroianu believes.
"My interpretation is that he had problems negotiating within the Government with some ministers who belonged to the party, while he wanted to assign them tasks beyond their political affiliation", explained the former head of Romanian diplomacy.
In Cioroianu's opinion, such situations are not uncommon in European democracies and essentially constitute political crises arising from relations between the Government and the parties that support it.
"This is not the first time something like this has happened. I have seen such situations in many European countries. It is clearly a political crisis, and the resignation was a political one", the former Romanian Foreign Minister said.
PAS is trying to monopolize the European integration process
Asked about President Maia Sandu's statement that the only dissatisfaction expressed by Alexandru Munteanu concerned his relationship with the Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun, Cioroianu said that such tensions are natural in politics and can degenerate into conflicts that may even lead to a prime minister's resignation.
"In the end, we are all human. Beyond national and European projects, beyond the status of party members or independents, there are prides and interests. When these come into conflict, sparks inevitably appear and I have no doubt that this has also happened in Chisinau," he pointed out.
Cioroianu believes that one of the peculiarities of the political scene in Chisinau is that a single party has assumed almost entirely the management of the European integration process, which generates dissatisfaction among other pro-European political forces.
"The existence of a single large party that takes on the European project creates the risk that others, who want the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, but are not part of PAS, will feel excluded. This inevitably leads to friction," explained the guest of the national radio station.
Not all the formations that criticize PAS are automatically anti-European, the same source emphasized.
"Even those who undermine PAS are not all anti-European. On the contrary, many of them want to be part of this European project. I think Maia Sandu also realizes this, and Alexandru Munteanu's resignation can also be interpreted as a signal that some perceived that PAS is trying to monopolize the European integration process," stated Cioroianu.
The former minister avoided naming the parties involved in this process.
"It's the easiest thing in life to give advice. I respect those who do politics in Chisinau too much to allow myself to tell them what they should do," said Adrian Cioroianu.
The parallel between Chișinău and Bucharest: Insights from Brussels
Adrian Cioroianu highlighted the similarities between the political situations in Chișinău and Bucharest, emphasizing that challenges arise when a single party or leader tries to take sole responsibility for a significant reform initiative.
"This is exactly what happens in Bucharest. Whenever someone claims, 'I am the reform,' others respond by expressing their desire to be involved in the process. In Chișinău, we discuss the European project, and the political dynamics are quite similar," stated the former Romanian Foreign Minister.
He noted that conflicts between leaders and competition for influence often lead to political crises, underscoring the need for the Republic of Moldova to navigate the current stalemate swiftly.
"The overarching goal remains European integration, and it is essential that as many political actors as possible participate in this effort. In my opinion, Chișinău should consider adopting a coalition approach. If a single party continues to dominate the entire European project, it could lead to issues, as other pro-European parties may feel marginalized," Cioroianu added.
The resignation of Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu may be viewed by European institutions as an internal political crisis typical of a consolidating democracy. They are likely to refrain from concluding that the Republic of Moldova's European path is compromised.
"Brussels will understand. The countries of Eastern Europe, emerging from the traumas of their recent history, have experienced and will continue to experience such episodes. Democracy is a learning process, and the European Union is well aware of this," stated the former head of Romanian diplomacy.
He emphasized, however, that European partners will closely monitor how quickly the authorities in Chișinău can resolve the current political crisis and maintain the continuity of reforms and their commitment to a European trajectory.
Alexandru Tanase: "Nothing unpredictable"
The resignation of Alexandru Munteanu was foreseeable, given the lack of reforms over the past year, stated former President of the Constitutional Court and former Minister of Justice of the Republic of Moldova, Alexandru Tănase, during a show on Radio Moldova.
According to Tănase, the issues within the government stem from its structural organization and the power dynamics within the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS).
“Munteanu was an entirely random individual who found himself in this position. In the year since this government was formed, we have not seen any progress. No reforms have been implemented whatsoever. Not even the reform of local public administration has been completed, making this outcome predictable. We should recall that the government program contained no references to any reforms; it was more of a collection of propaganda slogans than a genuine vision for governance,” he said.
The tensions within the Government went beyond personal conflicts; they indicated a power imbalance within the Executive, according to the former deputy and minister.
"The situation is much more complex. Overall, this Government acted as an intermediary. Mr. Dan Perciun had direct communication with President Maia Sandu and Igor Grosu, and his influence was significant in the entire equation," commented the former president of the Constitutional Court regarding the alleged conflict between Munteanu and Perciun.
In Tănase's view, Alexandru Munteanu lacked the political authority necessary to effectively oversee the Government's activities: "Mr. Munteanu was more of a figurehead. I want to emphasize that he never truly had the power."
One cause of tension within the Executive branch may stem from the way the Cabinet of Ministers was formed. According to Alexandru Tănase, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu did not fully establish his own team; instead, some ministers were retained from the previous administration, while others were influenced by various political factions.
"Under these circumstances, the Prime Minister never had complete control over the Executive," Tănase pointed out.
The only minister that Munteanu appointed to his government team, Eugeniu Osmochescu, lacked the influence necessary to change how the Cabinet operates.
Additionally, Tănase speculates that one possible scenario is the appointment of Dan Perciun, the Minister of Education, as Prime Minister.
"Dan Perciun, who is very close to the PAS leadership and to President Maia Sandu, could be a likely successor to Alexandru Munteanu as Head of Government," Tănase anticipated.
Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu announced his resignation on Friday, July 3, just eight months after being sworn in by Parliament. In a post on his Facebook page, Munteanu expressed that he could no longer fulfill his mandate "in accordance with the principles and beliefs I hold."
He stated, "Today, I am ending my term as Prime Minister. I accepted the role with great responsibility and firm conviction that I could help bring about positive change. However, the moment I realised that I could no longer fulfil my duties in line with my principles and beliefs, I chose to resign. I thank all my colleagues—ministers, their teams, and everyone who worked with professionalism and good faith. I will continue to serve my country from whatever position I find myself in, whether in the public or private sector. I believe that our duty to the country is not tied to a specific position, but to our commitment."
President Maia Sandu addressed claims during a press conference that Munteanu had been prevented from addressing abuses: "The speculations that he wanted to combat abuses but was not allowed to are false. He had full authority to lead the Government as he saw fit. He chose to resign."
The head of state also mentioned that Prime Minister Munteanu had experienced "interpersonal problems" with the Minister of Education and Research, Dan Perciun.
President Maia Sandu will consult with parliamentary factions starting next week, after which she will nominate a candidate for the position of Prime Minister. Until a new government is inaugurated, Alexandru Munteanu will serve as the interim Prime Minister.
