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117-590: This article related to the Republic of Moldova is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Soviet Union –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an encyclopedia is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Moldova Moldova , officially the Republic of Moldova , is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe , on

234-573: A prime minister as head of government . Under the presidency of Maia Sandu , elected in 2020 on a pro-Western and anti-corruption ticket, Moldova has pursued membership of the European Union , and was granted candidate status in June 2022. Accession talks to the EU began on 13 December 2023. Sandu has also suggested an end to Moldova's constitutional commitment to military neutrality in favour of

351-608: A vassal state of the Ottoman Empire from 1538, until the 19th century. In 1812, following one of several Russian–Turkish wars , the eastern half of the principality, Bessarabia , was annexed by the Russian Empire , marking the beginning of Russian influence in the region. In 1918, Bessarabia briefly became independent as the Moldavian Democratic Republic and, following the decision of

468-769: A "partly free" country with a score of 62/100 in 2023. They summarized their finds as follows: "Moldova has a competitive electoral environment, and freedoms of assembly , speech , and religion are mostly protected. Nonetheless, pervasive corruption , links between major political figures and powerful economic interests, and critical deficiencies in the justice sector and the rule of law all continue to hamper democratic governance." According to Transparency International , Moldova's Corruption Perceptions Index improved to 39 points in 2022 from 34 in 2020. Reporters Without Borders improved Moldova's Press Freedom Index ranking from 89th in 2020 to 40th in 2022, while cautioning that "Moldova's media are diverse but extremely polarised, like

585-644: A COVID-19 intra-action review (IAR) upon the request of Moldova's Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Protection . In mid-January 2021, Sandu announced that the Supreme Security Council would be reorganized. On 21 January 2021, human rights activist Ana Revenco was appointed Secretary of the Supreme Security Council and concurrently adviser to Sandu in the field of defense and national security. Revenco's predecessor in these posts, Defense Minister Victor Gaiciuc , remained

702-536: A basis to foment an insurrection against Moldova's new pro-Western government." White House National Security Minister John Kirby stated that "As Moldova continues to integrate with Europe, we believe Russia is pursuing options to weaken the Moldovan government probably with the eventual goal of seeing a more Russian- friendly administration in the capital". In 2023, Sandu announced the creation of an anti-propaganda centre to counter this disinformation and to improve

819-547: A clear separation of powers . The president serves as the head of state , is elected every four years, and can be re-elected once. The prime minister serves as the head of government , appointed by the president with parliament 's support. The head of government in turn assembles a cabinet , subject to parliamentary approval. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral Parliament of Moldova which has 101 seats and whose members are elected by popular vote on party lists every four years. The president's official residence

936-566: A closer alliance with NATO and strongly condemned Russia's invasion of neighbouring Ukraine . Moldova is the second poorest country in Europe by GDP per official capita after Ukraine and much of its GDP is dominated by the service sector . It has one of the lowest Human Development Indexes in Europe, ranking 76th in the world (2022). Moldova ranks 68th in the world on the Global Innovation Index as of 2024 . Moldova

1053-549: A component of its support for Moldova in its European integration efforts. The first joint meeting of the Governments of Romania and Moldova, held in March 2012, concluded with several bilateral agreements in various fields. The European orientation "has been the policy of Moldova in recent years and this is the policy that must continue," Nicolae Timofti told lawmakers before his election in 2012 . On 29 November 2013, at

1170-517: A conflict that left the Transnistrian region as a de facto independent state. Moldova continues to navigate a complex relationship between pro-Western and pro-Russian factions. In recent years, it has pursued closer ties with the European Union , submitting a formal membership application in 2022. In the November 2020 presidential election , the pro-European opposition candidate Maia Sandu

1287-458: A court trial on all charges. On 21 March 2023, Sandu announced the creation of a new Anti-Corruption Court which will be set up to try major corruption cases, as well as cases of crime within Moldova's judicial system, as part of a broader move to tackle endemic corruption in the country. As of 15 June, Sandu has continued to hold consultations and discussions with representatives on the text of

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1404-505: A focus on the specific risks and vulnerabilities induced by climate change, and the opportunities to respond to them. She highlighted that "For the Republic of Moldova, climate change means severe droughts every few years, floods, ruined crops and livelihoods of people." The UNDP, Green Climate Fund , and Embassy of Sweden in Chișinău are assisting in developing a transition plan towards low-emission, green and climate-resilient development. She

1521-440: A landslide election against the pro-Russian Igor Dodon, and again on a pro-E.U. and anti-corruption platform. Under Sandu's leadership, Moldova is once more in a position to resume moving forward towards European integration. Sandu announced her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election on 18 July, declaring that a joint pro-European candidate would not be needed as there was no risk of there being no pro-European candidates in

1638-661: A majority of voters support the proposal in a referendum. Furthermore, no revision can be made to limit the fundamental rights of people enumerated in the Constitution. The 1994 constitution also establishes an independent Constitutional Court , composed of six judges (two appointed by the President, two by Parliament, and two by the Supreme Council of Magistrature ), serving six-year terms, during which they are irremovable and not subordinate to any power. The court

1755-643: A member of the Security Council. The renewed Security Council did not include the Minister of Justice Fadei Nagacevschi , the Governor of Gagauzia Irina Vlah , or the director of the National Centre for Combating Corruption Ruslan Flocha . Nagacevschi, commenting on this situation, said: "I am glad that I was inconvenient". Former President Dodon declared the Supreme Security Council to be

1872-661: A nominee to be the next prime minister of Moldova , succeeding Natalia Gherman and Chiril Gaburici . A day after being proposed by a renewed pro-European coalition, Sandu set the departure of the Head of the National Bank of Moldova , Dorin Drăguțanu and the State Prosecutor Corneliu Gurin as conditions for her acceptance of the office. Ultimately, Valeriu Streleț was nominated over Sandu by

1989-625: A number of more specialised police institutions including the Police Department of Chisinau Municipality and the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation. The Moldovan Border Police are responsible for border security. It was a military branch until 2012 when it was put under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to The Law on Police Use of Force Worldwide, "Moldova does not regulate and restrict

2106-813: A participant in NATO 's Partnership for Peace programme. The Francophonie was joined in 1996 with the country joining the World Trade Organization in 2001 and the International Criminal Court in 2002. In 2005, Moldova and the European Union established an action plan that sought to improve cooperation between Moldova and the union. At the end of 2005, the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM)

2223-475: A political centre at the time of the foundation of the Principality of Moldavia in 1359. The origin of the name of the river remains unclear. According to a legend recounted by Moldavian chroniclers Dimitrie Cantemir and Grigore Ureche , Prince Dragoș named the river after hunting aurochs : following the chase, the prince's exhausted hound Molda (Seva) drowned in the river. The dog's name, given to

2340-583: A pragmatic dialogue with all the countries, including Romania, Ukraine, European nations, Russia and the US". Sandu was sworn in on 24 December 2020 in the Palace of the Republic . During the ceremony, she appealed for national unity, speaking in Russian, Ukrainian , Gagauz and Bulgarian towards the end of her remarks. Thousands of her supporters greeted her outside the palace chanting slogans like "Maia Sandu and

2457-664: A role in shaping foreign policy. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Government has frequently used its connections with the Russian Orthodox Church to block and stymie the integration of former Soviet states like Moldova into the West. In February 2023 Russia cancelled a 2012 decree underpinning Moldova's sovereignty. In May 2023 the government announced its intentions to withdraw from

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2574-408: A run-off on 3 November 2024. The referendum was seen as a test of Moldova's commitment to EU integration, amid claims of vote manipulation by criminal groups. The European Union created a Partnership Mission in Moldova through its Common Security and Defence Policy on 24 April 2023. The mission seeks to support the government of Moldova in countering hybrid threats the country faces as a result of

2691-505: A runoff on 3 November. On 28 December, she met the parliamentary factions for consultations. On 31 December Sandu named Foreign Minister Aureliu Ciocoi acting prime minister after Chicu refused to stay on in an acting capacity. The ex-president of the country, leader of the Party of Communists Vladimir Voronin and the Leader of Our Party Renato Usatii proposed their candidacies for

2808-508: A separate administration and are administratively part of either cities (41 of them) or communes (659). This makes for a total of 1,682 localities in Moldova, two of which are uninhabited. The largest city in Moldova is Chișinău with a population of approx. 695,400 people. The second largest city is Tiraspol at 129,500, part of the unrecognised breakaway region of Transnistria , followed by Bălți (146,900) and Bender (91,000). The Moldovan police force ( General Police Inspectorate ) reports to

2925-508: A significant impact on harvests. In 2012, the resulting losses amounted to €1 billion." On 25 November 2022, Maia Sandu addressed the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the challenge of climate change. She announced that with assistance from United Nations Development Programme , they would be developing and setting out the commencement of a National Climate Change Adaptation Programme, with

3042-502: A summit in Vilnius , Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union dedicated to the European Union's ' Eastern Partnership ' with ex-Soviet countries. The ex-Romanian President Traian Băsescu stated that Romania will make all efforts for Moldova to join the EU as soon as possible. Likewise, Traian Băsescu declared that the unification of Moldova and Romania is the next national project for Romania, as more than 75% of

3159-760: A threat to national security. His political opponent, former Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Party Pavel Filip , was in solidarity with the ex-president, saying that "we are seeing double standards". Implementing anti-corruption measures was one of the central policies of Sandu's presidential election campaign and of her Party of Action and Solidarity. Since 2020, Moldova's CPI ( Corruption Perceptions Index ) has improved from 32 points to 39, ranking 91/180 among Eastern European and Central Asian countries. Transparency International cautioned in 2022 that "despite some progress in improving technical compliance with recommendations from

3276-550: A value of US$ 700,000, to the 22nd Peacekeeping Battalion of the Moldovan National Army to "increase the capability of Moldovan peacekeeping contingents." Moldova signed a military agreement with Romania to strengthen regional security in 2015. The agreement is part of Moldova's strategy to reform its military and cooperate with its neighbours. Since 2022, the army has begun a process of modernization, and has been provided with more than €87 million in support for

3393-514: A victory for Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity, winning 52.8% of the overall vote. The Constitutional Court of Moldova recognized the election results on 23 July. During the visit of President of Romania Klaus Iohannis , he promised Romania would donate 200,000 doses of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Moldova. On 16 January, Sandu said that Moldovan authorities would allow residents of Transnistria to be vaccinated with

3510-497: Is a unitary parliamentary representative democratic republic with its capital in Chișinău , the country's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre. Most of Moldovan territory was a part of the Principality of Moldavia from the 14th century until 1812, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire by the Ottoman Empire (to which Moldavia was a vassal state ) and became known as Bessarabia . In 1856, southern Bessarabia

3627-880: Is a member state of the United Nations, the Council of Europe , the World Trade Organization , the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe , the GUAM Organization for Democracy and Economic Development , the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation , and the Association Trio . The name Moldova is derived from the Moldova River ( German : Moldau ); the valley of this river served as

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3744-753: Is a supporter of Moldova's European integration , the country's entry into the European Union , and the resumption of cooperation with the International Monetary Fund . When she received the president of Romania, she declared that "the Republic will integrate into the European space with the help of Romania". Maia Sandu met EU and Belgian political figures in Brussels in January 2021. On 19 April 2021 in Strasbourg , France, she signed

3861-512: Is also providing assistance to Moldova in implementing the necessary reforms for full accession by 2030. The European Union's High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has confirmed that the pathway to accession does not depend upon a resolution of the Transnistria conflict . On 27 June, Moldova signed a comprehensive free trade agreement with

3978-453: Is currently threatened by climate change, habitat fragmentation and over-exploitation . Moldova is the European nation most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. "In Moldova, 60 per cent of the population doesn't have access to safe drinking water and droughts are becoming more and more frequent. According to the UN , the country suffered eleven droughts between 1990 and 2015, which had

4095-496: Is invested with the power of judicial review over all acts of parliament , over presidential decrees , and over international treaties signed by the country. The head of state is the President of Moldova, who between 2001 and 2015 was elected by the Moldovan Parliament, requiring the support of three-fifths of the deputies (at least 61 votes). This system was designed to decrease executive authority in favour of

4212-484: Is mentioned that at the end the decision was voted unanimously. The minutes were not signed. Regarding former leader of Romania Ion Antonescu , Sandu said in 2018 that he was "a historical figure about whom we may say both good and bad things". Her statements were sharply criticized by the Jewish Community of Moldova (CERM). Sandu replied to this in later interviews by stating: "I regret that my words about

4329-541: Is partially funded by the European Union and United States. On 5 October 2021, the Moldovan government suspended the Prosecutor General Alexandru Stoianoglo in relation to charges of corruption , passive corruption , illicit enrichment , and abuse of office in favour of criminal groups. The European Court of Human Rights later ruled that Stoianoglo's right to a fair trial had been violated. A Moldovan court cleared him of one of

4446-478: Is quoted as saying, "climate change does not ask whether we are ready for it, whether we have the resources to respond to it, or whether it has come at the right time. Adapting to these changes will be hard. Building resilience will be difficult. Especially for us, because we have fewer resources, we are less prepared, and we have weaker institutions. But we have no choice, we must adapt. To resist. For our future and that of our children, here in Moldova." According to

4563-597: Is the Presidential Palace, Chișinău . After the prime minister and government resigned in 2020 and the president and parliament failed to form a new government, early parliamentary elections were held in July 2021. According to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers, the 2021 parliamentary elections were well-administered and competitive, and fundamental freedoms were largely respected. The Party of Action and Solidarity won 63 seats in

4680-421: Is the founder and former leader of the Party of Action and Solidarity and was prime minister of Moldova from 8 June 2019 until 14 November 2019, when her government collapsed after a vote of no-confidence . Sandu was minister of education from 2012 to 2015 and member of the parliament of Moldova from 2014 to 2015, and again in 2019. Sandu was elected president of Moldova in a landslide victory during

4797-473: The 2016 election . Running on a pro-EU action platform, she was one of the two candidates that reached the runoff of the election. Sandu faced open discrimination during the race for being a single woman, and was openly attacked by former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin who accused her of betraying "family values" and called her the "laughingstock, the sin and the national disgrace of Moldova" in remarks widely regarded as profoundly misogynistic. She rejected

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4914-465: The 2020 Moldovan presidential election . The first female president of Moldova, Sandu is a strong supporter of the accession of Moldova to the European Union , overseeing Moldova's granting of candidate status, and is widely considered " pro-Western ". She has criticised and opposed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and supported subsequent steps to reduce Moldova's economic dependence on Russia , frequently expressing sympathy and support for Ukraine in

5031-557: The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine . A memorandum dated 29 March 2023 stated that the mission aims at "enhancing the resilience of Moldova's security sector in the area of crisis management as well as enhancing resilience to hybrid threats, including cybersecurity, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference". The initial mandate of the mission is expected to be for two years and it will be made up of up to 40 police and customs officers and judicial officials. Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania , Germany, Poland , Sweden,

5148-713: The ACUM Electoral Bloc and secured 26 of the 101 seats in the Parliament of Moldova . On 8 June 2019, Sandu was elected Prime Minister of Moldova in a coalition government with PSRM . On the same day, the Constitutional Court of Moldova declared unconstitutional her designation for this position as well as the appointment of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, which sparked the 2019 constitutional crisis . However, on 15 June 2019,

5265-653: The Academy of Public Administration  [ ro ] (AAP) in Chișinău . In 2010, she graduated from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University . From 2010 to 2012, Sandu worked as an adviser to the executive director at the World Bank . From 2012 to 2015, Sandu served as Minister of Education of Moldova . She was considered on 23 July 2015 by the Liberal Democratic Party as

5382-527: The Banca Socială ) had been approved. Prime Minister Pavel Filip published on his Facebook page, the minutes of the last Cabinet meeting, when the decision on granting the emergency credit for the Banca de Economii was adopted. The minutes included the speeches of former NBM governor Dorin Drăguțanu, former Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici , and Sandu's own speeches from the time as minister of education. It

5499-499: The Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021–2024 , an action plan of the Council of Europe with the aim of reforming Moldova's legislation and state institutions and introducing improvements on the country's democracy, human rights , and rule of law . After the outbreak of the 2022 Russian invasion in Ukraine , Sandu signed the application for EU membership on 3 March 2022, together with Igor Grosu ,

5616-528: The Czech Republic , Portugal , Romania , and Denmark have all voiced support for the mission. On 2 February 2023 Moldova passed a law introducing criminal penalties for separatism , including prison terms. The law continues with penalties for financing and inciting separatism, plotting against Moldova, and collecting and stealing information that could harm the country's sovereignty, independence and integrity. The Moldovan armed forces consists of

5733-518: The European Free Trade Association . On 28 June 2023, the European Union announced a €1.6 billion support and investment programme for Moldova, as well as confirming reductions in the price of mobile data and voice roaming charges in Moldova by European and Moldovan telecoms operators, as well as Moldova joining the EU's joint gas purchase platform. Formal accession talks began on 13 December 2023. A referendum on joining

5850-668: The European Parliament approved a grant of €90 million to Moldova. The money was to supplement US$ 570 million in International Monetary Fund loans, World Bank and other bilateral support already granted to Moldova. In April 2010, Romania offered Moldova development aid worth of €100 million while the number of scholarships for Moldovan students doubled to 5,000. According to a lending agreement signed in February 2010, Poland provided US$ 15 million as

5967-580: The Ground Forces and Air Force . Moldova maintains a standing army of just 6,500 soldiers, and spends just 0.4 percent of its GDP on defence, far behind its regional neighbours. Moldova accepted all relevant arms control obligations of the former Soviet Union. On 30 October 1992, Moldova ratified the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe , which establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment and provides for

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6084-472: The Group of States against Corruption and other bodies, much remains to be done to overcome the legacy of state capture still visible in many organs of state." They nevertheless praised efforts made under Sandu's presidency, and concluded that "the election of PAS , which ran above all on an anti-corruption platform, can be interpretated as a positive sign for this change as there is a widespread consensus among

6201-531: The Left Bank of the Dniester ). The final status of Transnistria is disputed , as the central government does not control that territory. 10 other cities, including Comrat and Tiraspol , the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories, also have municipality status . Moldova has 66 cities (towns), including 13 with municipality status, and 916 communes. Another 700 villages are too small to have

6318-586: The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MAI) and is the primary law enforcement body, responsible for internal security, public order, traffic, and criminal investigations. Several agencies responsible for border management, emergency situations, migration and asylum also report to the ministry. Civilian authorities maintained effective control over the security forces. The Moldovan Police are divided into state and municipal organisations. State police provide law enforcement throughout Moldova while municipal police operate at

6435-583: The Neolithic and Bronze Ages . In antiquity , Moldova's location made it a crossroads for invasions by the Scythians , Goths , Huns , and other tribes, followed by periods of Roman and Byzantine control. The medieval Principality of Moldavia emerged in the 1350s , and was the medieval precursor of modern Moldova and Romania . It reached prominence under rulers like Stephen the Great before becoming

6552-420: The UN Firearms Protocol , Stability Pact Regional Implementation Plan , the UN Programme of Action (PoA), and the OSCE Documents on Stockpiles of Conventional Ammunition. Since declaring independence in 1991, Moldova has participated in UN peacekeeping missions in Liberia , Côte d'Ivoire , Sudan , and Georgia . On 12 November 2014, the US donated to Moldovan Armed Forces 39 Humvees and 10 trailers, with

6669-437: The United States Treasury add Vlad Plahotniuc to the Magnitsky List . In August, Sandu asked the State Chancellery to prepare a draft decree declaring 23 August to be the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism instead of the regular Liberation Day . The decree was opposed by her coalition partner, the PSRM , with Moldova's president and ex-PSRM leader Igor Dodon announcing that he would celebrate

6786-423: The Venice Commission across all areas and ensure effective and continuous implementation of human rights legislation." The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights ' 2016 recommendations on hate crimes were "largely reflected in amendments to the Criminal Code adopted by the Moldovan Parliament and published on 3 June 2022", but the report notes that Moldovan law enforcement officers often fail to record

6903-432: The dissolution of the Soviet Union was underway, the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova. However, the strip of Moldovan territory on the east bank of the Dniester has been under the de facto control of the breakaway government of Transnistria since 1990. The constitution of Moldova was adopted in 1994, and the country became a parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and

7020-461: The president of Moldova . On 23 December 2015 she launched a platform "În /pas/ cu Maia Sandu" ("In step with Maia Sandu" ) that later became a political party called Party of Action and Solidarity ( Romanian : Partidul Acțiune și Solidaritate ). In 2016, Sandu was the pro-European candidate in the Moldovan presidential election . She was selected as the joint candidate of the pro-European PPDA and PAS parties for president of Moldova in

7137-413: The "task of creating the government team and preparing a government program focused on economic development and cleaning up the institutions of the state of corruption". The very next day, Sandu asked MPs to reject her proposed Prime Minister in order to speed up the process of its dissolution and early elections. Sandu re-nominated Gavrilița on 11 February. The Constitutional Court of Moldova declared

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7254-431: The 101-seat parliament, enough to form a single-party majority. The 1994 Constitution of Moldova sets the framework for the government of the country. A parliamentary majority of at least two-thirds is required to amend the Constitution of Moldova , which cannot be revised in times of war or national emergency. Amendments to the Constitution affecting the state's sovereignty, independence, or unity can only be made after

7371-439: The Commonwealth of Independent States and the immediate suspension of its participation. In July 2023 Moldova passed a law on denunciation of the agreement on Moldova's membership in the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly . On 25 July 2023, the Moldovan government summoned the Russian ambassador to Moldova, Oleg Vasnetsov, after media reports of alleged spying devices on the rooftop of their embassy in Chişinău. On 26 July 2023,

7488-479: The Constitutional Court revised and repealed its previous decisions, declaring the Sandu Cabinet to have been constitutionally created. The next day, she called for the restoration of public order, discouraging citizens from attending local rallies. In June 2019, she lifted a March 2017 ban by former Prime Minister Filip of official visits by government officials to Russia . In one of her first interviews to foreign media, she announced her intention to request that

7605-453: The EU is planned for autumn 2024, there will be no voting stations in Transnistria, however residents there will be free to travel into other areas of Moldova to vote, should they wish to. In Moldova's referendum on joining the EU, a narrow 50.17% voted "yes," with Maia Sandu alleging "unprecedented" outside interference. Sandu received 42% in the simultaneous presidential election, while her rival, Alexandr Stoianoglo, garnered 26%, leading to

7722-479: The Gavrilița Government could be voted on, some PSRM deputies presented a list signed by PSRM, Pentru Moldova (including the Șor Party ) and another 3 unaffiliated MPs for supporting the candidature of Mariana Durleșteanu . Sandu declared afterwards that she would not continue consultations, but would not nominate another candidate for Prime Minister. Two options remained: snap elections or a referendum for Sandu's impeachment. On 16 March, she again met with parties in

7839-457: The Moldovan government expelled 45 Russian diplomats and embassy staff due to "hostile actions" intended to destabilise the Republic of Moldova, according to Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu. On 30 July, the Russian embassy announced that it would suspend consular appointments "for technical reasons". The Moldovan Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) also ended all partnership agreements with Russia's FSB after sending official notifications to

7956-423: The OSCE and UN fact-finding and observer missions. The foreign minister of Moldova , Andrei Stratan , repeatedly stated that the Russian troops stationed in the breakaway region were there against the will of the Moldovan government and called on them to leave "completely and unconditionally". In 2012, a security zone incident resulted in the death of a civilian, raising tensions with Russia. In September 2010,

8073-426: The Parliament (Sfatul Țării), united with Romania . During the Second World War it was occupied by the Soviet Union which reclaimed it from Romania. It joined the Union in 1940 as the Moldavian SSR . During this period, policies of Russification and economic transformation deeply influenced the region. The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 led to declared independence , followed by the Transnistria War in 1992,

8190-627: The Parliament for consultations. The PSRM delegation was led by Igor Dodon , the president of the party, but not deputy in the Parliament. In the same time, without Dodon's knowledge, Durleșteanu announced that she was retiring her candidature. After the consultations, Sandu announced that there was no parliamentary majority, and in order to end the political crisis, she named Igor Grosu as Prime Minister. More political figures, such as Pavel Filip and Andrian Candu claimed that Sandu had reached an agreement with Igor Dodon in order to hold early parliamentary elections. Some political analysts stated that

8307-464: The Party of Socialists, Democratic Party and Shor Party, and if this commitment were violated they would resign as MPs. She violated this self-imposed commitment after agreeing to form a coalition government along with the Party of Socialists in early June 2019 as the only way forward to create a legitimate and democratic government. In the 2019 parliamentary election , Sandu's PAS , together with its ally, PPDA , led by Andrei Năstase , formed

8424-636: The Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine . The first 21,600 doses of the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine promised by Romania arrived in Moldova on 28 February, with the first administrations on 2 March. Romania subsequently made more donations on 27 March 2021 with 50,400 vaccine units; on 17 April 2021 with 132,000 vaccine doses, fulfilling its promise to Moldova; and on 7 May 2021 with 100,800 vaccine units even though this surpassed

8541-492: The UNDP, "A special focus is placed on exploring the mitigation potential through promotion of renewable energy solutions, which currently is standing at 25,06% in the total energy mix, energy efficiency measures and resource efficiency production and consumption. At the same time, support to the reform and modernization of environmental management systems conducive to green development and EU standards are being provided." Sandu

8658-465: The accusations, with four other cases awaiting trial as of October 2024 . On 2 May 2022, former Moldovan Prime Minister Iurie Leanca was charged with abuse of power over a concession that gave control of the country's main airport to a businessman now in exile. The 2013 concession handed control of Chişinău International Airport for a 49-year term to a company associated with politician and businessman Ilan Shor , who fled Moldova in 2019 after

8775-756: The authorities in Moscow. Moldova has set 2030 as the target date for EU Accession. Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union in Brussels on 27 June 2014. The signing came after the accord was drafted in Vilnius in November 2013. Moldova signed the membership application to join the EU on 3 March 2022. On 23 June 2022, Moldova was officially granted candidate status by EU leaders. The United Nations Development Programme

8892-484: The bias motivations behind hate crimes, and additionally recommended "developing its victim support system to ensure effective access to justice, assistance, and protection services for hate crime victims". In 2021, 8 hate crimes were recorded, 7 of which reached a successful conviction, with one going to prosecution but without a conviction. Moldova is divided into 32 districts ( raioane , singular raion ), three municipalities and two autonomous regions ( Gagauzia and

9009-670: The breakaway Transdniestria region, prosecution and imprisonment for peaceful dissent continued." On 18 June 2023, some 500 LGBT activists and supporters held a Pride parade in the capital city of Chișinău which for the first time needed no heavy police cordons to protect them from protesters largely linked to the Orthodox church. According to Human Rights Report of the United States Department of State , released in 2022, "While authorities investigated reports of human rights abuses and corruption committed by officials,

9126-431: The conflict. Sandu has made anti-corruption , economic reform and liberalisation a central part of her political platform, as well as closer integration with Europe. In February 2023, she accused Russia of seeking to stage a coup of the Moldovan government and has continued to seek to reduce Russia's influence over the country. Sandu was re-elected president in the 2024 Moldovan presidential election . Sandu

9243-608: The country itself, which is marked by political instability and excessive influence by oligarchs." According to Amnesty International 's 2022/23 report, "No visible progress was made in reducing instances of torture and other ill-treatment in detention. Impunity continued for past human rights violations by law enforcement agencies. New "temporary" restrictions on public assemblies were introduced. The rights of LGBTI people were not fully realized, leading to cases of harassment, discrimination and violence. Some refugee reception centres turned away religious and ethnic minority refugees. In

9360-708: The country signed the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Convention to become a member and was also admitted in July 1995 to the Council of Europe . Moldova became a member state of the United Nations the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the North Atlantic Cooperation Council , the World Bank , the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 1992. 1994 saw Moldova became

9477-463: The country's hybrid threat response capabilities. On 19 June 2023, the pro-Russian Șor Party was banned by the Constitutional Court of Moldova after months of anti-government protests, which the Moldovan government said was an attempt to destabilize it. The court declared the party unconstitutional, with court chairman Nicolae Roșca citing "an article in the constitution stating that parties must through their activities uphold political pluralism,

9594-441: The country's legal measures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing . On 8 June 2021, Sandu signed off on the creation of an extra-governmental corruption monitoring body after declaring the state's own institutions "too slow". The six-member panel of the 'Anticorruption Independent Consultative Committee' will be co-chaired by United States diplomat James Wasserstrom , includes economists, jurists and journalists and

9711-494: The court's concept paper. Sandu has also expressed her support for the establishment of an international anti-corruption court. Analysts argue that since Russia's invasion of Ukraine , Moldova has been "flooded" with Russian propaganda and disinformation . The United States has accused Russia of "deliberately stirring unrest" within Moldova, stating that intelligence showed "that actors, some connected with Russian intelligence, are seeking to stage and use protests in Moldova as

9828-415: The date in the old style, rejecting Sandu's proposal. Under Sandu, Moldova began taking steps towards the European Union as Sandu herself is pro-E.U. Sandu was ousted as prime minister on 12 November 2019, following a vote of no confidence . She remained as a caretaker of the office until the formation of a new government. However, on 24 December 2020 Sandu took office as state president, after winning

9945-551: The decree unconstitutional, reasoning that Sandu should have accepted a proposal from 54 MPs (primarily from PSRM) to instead nominate Mariana Durleșteanu , a former Moldovan ambassador to the United Kingdom. Sandu refused the proposal of the Constitutional Court and Parliament, saying, "I have said repeatedly that the only way for Moldova to move forward is to organise new parliamentary elections." Before

10062-646: The destruction of weapons in excess of those limits. The country acceded to the provisions of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in October 1994 in Washington, D.C. It does not have nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Moldova joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 's Partnership for Peace on 16 March 1994. Moldova is committed to a number of international and regional control of arms regulations such as

10179-579: The dictator Ion Antonescu were made an object of interpretation. [...] Antonescu was a war criminal, rightly condemned by the international community for war crimes against Jewish and Roma people." On 21 February 2019, Sandu and the candidates of the ACUM electoral bloc, both of the national and uninominal constituency, signed a public commitment according to which after the Parliamentary elections of 24 February 2019 they would not make any coalition with

10296-404: The election of pro-Western Sandu. An appeals court ruled in November 2021 that control of the airport should return to the state. "Veronica Dragalin, head of Moldova's anti-corruption prosecution office, said a former economy minister and six other former officials also faced similar charges in a criminal case which she said had been referred to court." On 24 May 2022, former president Igor Dodon

10413-750: The first foreign leader to visit Sandu in Moldova, arriving on 29 December. As part of the Moldovan–Romanian collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic , Iohannis promised that Romania would aid Moldova with medicines, medical and sanitary protection equipment and 200,000 vaccine units. When going to Paris, in a stopover in Bucharest, she met with the Prime Minister of Romania, Florin Cîțu . Furthermore, when asked about how she would vote in case there

10530-472: The insults in an interview, replying that "I never thought being a single woman is a shame. Maybe it is a sin even to be a woman?" Sandu was defeated in the subsequent runoff by the pro-Russian PSRM candidate, Igor Dodon , losing the popular vote by a margin of 48% to 52%. As of December 2022, she ranks as the most trusted politician in Moldova at 26%, with Igor Dodon following behind at 19%. One 2019 poll, conducted by Public Opinion Fund, showed that Sandu

10647-498: The legislature. Nevertheless, the Constitutional Court ruled on 4 March 2016 that this constitutional change adopted in 2000 regarding the presidential election was unconstitutional, thus reverting the election method of the president to a two-round system direct election . After achieving independence from the Soviet Union, Moldova's foreign policy was designed with a view to establishing relations with other European countries, neutrality, and European Union integration. In May 1995

10764-506: The local administrative level. National and municipal police forces often collaborate closely for law enforcement purposes. The Special Forces Brigade "Fulger" is a specialized combat-ready police force primarily responsible for tackling organized crime, serious violent crime, and hostage situations. They are subordinate to the General Police Inspectorate and therefore under strict civilian control. There are also

10881-685: The modernization of the defence sector and the strengthening of security through the European Peace Facility . In October 2022, Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatii claimed that 90 percent of the country's military equipment is outdated and of Soviet origin, dating back to the 1960s and 1980s. In April 2023, Valeriu Mija, Secretary of State for Defence Policy and National Army Reform in the Defence Ministry, claimed that Moldova needed $ 275 million to modernize its armed forces, especially in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and

10998-524: The northeastern corner of the Balkans . The country spans a total of 33,483 km (12,928 sq mi) and has a population of approximately 2.42 million as of January 2024. Moldova is bordered by Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The unrecognised breakaway state of Transnistria lies across the Dniester river on the country's eastern border with Ukraine. Moldova

11115-492: The people!" and "The people love you!" After the ceremony, she met Dodon at the Presidential Palace, for a ceremony in which Dodon officially transferred power to her. That day, she met with acting Prime Minister Ion Chicu . Sandu ran again for president in the 2024 Moldovan presidential election , where she won 42% of the vote in the first round. She defeated former prosecutor-general Alexandr Stoianoglo in

11232-441: The popular vote. She was congratulated on her win by senior leaders of the European Union , as well as Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan , Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, and Klaus Iohannis of Romania . In her press conference, she declared that Moldova under her leadership "will secure real balance in the foreign policy, being guided by Moldova's national interests, we will have

11349-617: The population speaks Romanian. A document written in 2021 by the Russia's FSB's Directorate for Cross-Border Cooperation, titled "Strategic objectives of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova" sets out a 10-year plan to destabilise Moldova. Using energy blackmail, political and elite sources in Moldova that are favourable to Russia and the Orthodox Church. Russia denies any such plan. Religious leaders play

11466-519: The population that corruption needs to be curbed." Reporters Without Borders improved Moldova's Press Freedom Index ranking from 89th in 2020 to 28th in 2023, while cautioning that "Moldova's media are diverse but extremely polarised, like the country itself, which is marked by political instability and excessive influence by oligarchs." In 2022 the European Union's anti- money laundering body MONEYVAL upgraded Moldova from 'partially compliant' to 'largely compliant' due to significant improvements in

11583-415: The post of prime minister. At a briefing following her visit to Ukraine, Sandu also touched upon the appointment of the prime minister, stating that "Neither Voronin nor Usatii are suitable for the role of prime minister. We need a serious government, created following early elections." On 27 January 2021, she nominated Natalia Gavrilița as a candidate for the position of Prime Minister, saying that she has

11700-617: The presence of 1,500 Russian soldiers in Transnistria . In June 2023, Poland also sent a transport of military equipment worth €8 million (including drones , laptops, explosive ordnance disposal equipment , and ultrasound equipment) to the Moldovan police to increase the country's internal security. Analysts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis have called for further western weapon donations. Freedom House ranked Moldova as

11817-582: The president of the Moldovan parliament, and Natalia Gavrilița , the country's prime minister. Sandu actively campaigned for the 'Yes' vote supporting European integration in the 2024 Moldovan European Union membership referendum held on the same day as the first round of the 2024 presidential election on 20 October, which won by a narrow margin. Sandu attributed the result to an "unprecedented assault on our country's freedom and democracy" following allegations of interference by "criminal groups" and pro-Russian interests. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis became

11934-500: The process was slow and burdensome. During the year, authorities indicted and detained several former high-level officials including former President Igor Dodon, former member of parliament Vladimir Andronachi, Shor Party member of parliament Marina Tauber and former director of Moldovan Railways Anatolie Topala. None of these cases resulted in conviction by a court at year's end. Authorities took some steps to identify, investigate, and prosecute officials for human rights abuses, but progress

12051-580: The promised 200,000 vaccine doses. Moldova became the first country in Europe that received vaccines from the COVAX platform. The first shipment delivered in early March arrived with more than 14,000 doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine. Sandu received her vaccination on 7 May with the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine after Romania stated its intention to donate thousands of vaccines to Moldova. Sandu had previously stated she would only receive vaccination when it

12168-799: The river, extended to the principality. For a short time in the 1990s, at the founding of the Commonwealth of Independent States , the name of the current Republic of Moldova was also spelled Moldavia . After the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the country began to use the Romanian name, Moldova . Officially, the name Republic of Moldova is designated by the United Nations. The history of Moldova spans prehistoric cultures , ancient and medieval empires, and periods of foreign rule and modern independence . Evidence of human habitation dates back 800,000–1.2 million years, with significant developments in agriculture , pottery , and settlement during

12285-447: The rule of law and the territorial integrity of Moldova." The party was led by Ilan Shor , a fugitive businessman who fled to Israel in 2019 after being convicted of fraud and money-laundering and sentenced to 15 years in prison in absentia . Sandu welcomed the court's decision. Moldova is highly vulnerable to climate change and related disasters, with an average annual economic loss of 2.13% GDP. The country's unique biodiversity

12402-455: The second round. Sandu officially launched her campaign on 2 October 2020, holding two speeches in Romanian and Russian both promising to fight corruption and poverty , and to reform the criminal justice system , while accusing President Dodon of deliberately hindering the latter. Because no candidate received a majority of votes in the first round, a run-off between Sandu and Dodon was held on 15 November, in which Sandu won with 57.75% of

12519-426: The use of firearms by law enforcement officials as international law requires. Police use of a firearm can only be lawful where necessary to confront an imminent threat of death or serious injury or a grave and proximate threat to life." Maia Sandu Maia Sandu ( Romanian: [ˈmaja ˈsandu] ; born 24 May 1972) is a Moldovan politician who has been president of Moldova since 24 December 2020. She

12636-555: The withdrawal of Durleșteanu was planned in order to get closer to snap elections. On 25 March, Parliament did not vote for Grosu, and the majority of the deputies left the building. Sandu had consultations with all parliamentary forces on 26 and 29 March. After the Constitutional Court declared the state of emergency unconstitutional, she dissolved the Parliament and called for an early snap parliamentary election on 11 July. The 2021 Moldovan parliamentary elections ended in

12753-417: Was arrested by the Moldovan authorities on charges of corruption for the receipt of bribes, illegal financing of his political party, and high treason against Moldova through links to fugitive Moldovan politician Vlad Plahotniuc . He was placed under house arrest on 26 May in order to allow prosecutors to investigate the allegations further. He was released from house arrest on 18 November 2022 pending

12870-663: Was born on 24 May 1972 in the commune of Risipeni , located in the Fălești District in the Moldavian SSR of what was then the USSR . Her parents were Grigorie and Emilia Sandu, a doctor and a teacher, respectively. Her father died before she became involved in politics. She has a younger sister named Veronica. From 1988 to 1994, she majored in management at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldavia/Moldova (ASEM). From 1995 to 1998, she majored in international relations at

12987-548: Was certain Moldova would have enough vaccines to vaccinate its entire population. According to the World Health Organization , between 3 January 2020 and 28 June 2023, there have been 620,717 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 12,124 deaths. As of 11 June 2023, a total of 2,288,948 vaccine doses have been administered. Moldova is among the first countries in the WHO European Region to conduct

13104-738: Was disputed by Soviet Russia , which in 1924 established, within the Ukrainian SSR , a so-called Moldavian autonomous republic on partially Moldovan-inhabited territories to the east of Bessarabia. In 1940, as a consequence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the Soviet Union , leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR). On 27 August 1991, as

13221-491: Was elected as the new president of the republic, becoming the first female elected president of Moldova. In the November 2024 presidential election , President Maia Sandu was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the run-off. The Republic of Moldova is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliamentary system of government and competitive, multi-party elections . The constitution provides for executive and legislative branches as well as an independent judiciary and

13338-502: Was established at the joint request of the presidents of Moldova and Ukraine. EUBAM assists the Moldovan and Ukrainian governments in approximating their border and customs procedures to EU standards and offers support in both countries' fight against cross-border crime. After the 1990–1992 War of Transnistria , Moldova sought a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Transnistria region by working with Romania, Ukraine, and Russia, calling for international mediation, and co-operating with

13455-482: Was returned to Moldavia, which three years later united with Wallachia to form Romania , but Russian rule was restored over the whole of the region in 1878. During the 1917 Russian Revolution , Bessarabia briefly became an autonomous state within the Russian Republic . In February 1918, it declared independence and then integrated into Romania later that year following a vote of its assembly. The decision

13572-555: Was slow." In a meeting with the European Union in October 2022, EU representatives "welcomed positive developments in Moldova such as the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women, the adoption of legislation on hate crime , and the ongoing work to reform the Electoral Code. It encouraged Moldovan authorities to address shortcomings identified by OSCE/ODIHR and

13689-612: Was the second most trusted political personality, polling at 24%, closely following Igor Dodon, who polled at 26%, while older polls that year placed her lower, in sixth place. In September 2016, Sandu instituted proceedings against the State Chancellery, asking to see the minutes of the Cabinet meeting at which the state guarantees for the three bankrupt banks (the Bank of Savings ( Romanian : Banca de Economii ), Unibank and

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