Irina Vlah, leader of the Republican Party “Heart of Moldova”, says that “the Moldovan authorities are behaving like blind people, ignoring the new global reality. The entire country is already paying for this blindness: we are losing markets, losing influence, losing our sense of security. Moldova needs a new direction in its foreign policy”, TRIBUNA reports.

According to her, in recent years the global geopolitical situation has changed significantly, and this process is still ongoing. “Whether we like it or not, major changes are taking place worldwide and even at the regional level, and they inevitably affect the Republic of Moldova. Pretending not to understand what is happening around us does not mean we will be protected from certain risks or that we will not miss certain opportunities. This is why I believe the time has come to abandon the ostrich tactic, to lift our heads out of the sand, to carefully analyse what is happening around us, to draw the necessary conclusions and to take the required actions.

A first step in this direction must be the development of a new foreign policy concept. It is absolutely clear that the new realities require new approaches that take into account both the risks and the opportunities that have emerged. And in drafting this new foreign policy concept, various actors must be involved — from diplomats and politicians to relevant experts from civil society. Only in this way can we ensure that the new foreign policy concept is as objective as possible, reflects a broad consensus across society, and takes into account the real interests of the Republic of Moldova,” the politician stated.

Irina Vlah emphasized that she does not intend to influence anyone, but in her view the foundation of Moldova’s new foreign policy concept must be the principle of neutrality, recognized at the international level.

“I know that some representatives of the political class consider this principle non-functional, others see it as outdated and believe it should be abandoned. But at the same time, we cannot ignore the fact that this principle is supported by the vast majority of the population. Nor can we ignore that its importance has grown significantly in recent years, in light of the events taking place right in our immediate neighbourhood. Not to mention that this principle is the only real instrument available to small countries like the Republic of Moldova when it comes to ensuring security.

Furthermore, the new foreign policy concept must redefine Moldova’s relations with major international actors. Globally, we see a clear trend: the growing international role of certain states and the declining influence of some international organizations. The Republic of Moldova cannot afford to ignore these trends, as they will have a direct impact on our country — and in some areas, this impact is already being felt,” the political leader added.

At the same time, the politician noted, “the Republic of Moldova must define its strategic partners much more clearly. Events of recent years have shown that Moldova has significant shortcomings in this regard, and serious positioning mistakes can cost us dearly, including in terms of opportunities we have already missed or may miss in the future. Overall, the Republic of Moldova must clearly define its priorities across multiple areas, and based on these priorities, determine its strategic partnerships going forward.”

In her remarks, Irina Vlah stressed that “the time has come to address the issue of a new foreign policy concept seriously. If this is not done, we will eventually find ourselves with a foreign policy concept that is outdated and no longer corresponds to the real needs of the Republic of Moldova.”