Moldova, a neighbor of Ukraine and a former Soviet republic, which also has pro-Russian separatist territory, is following the fighting between Kiev and Moscow with concern.
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Moldova is watching the fighting in Ukraine with apprehension. This very small country, one of the poorest in Europe, is only 50 kilometers from Odessa and also hosts thousands of refugees. While the Russian army is at the gates of the Ukrainian seaside town, the bombardments around this last major Black Sea port have been heard as far as Chisinau, the Moldavian capital. Like Ukraine, Moldova is a former Soviet republic that has long included a pro-Russian separatist territory: Transnistria. Moscow tanks have been stationed there for thirty years and the country is divided.
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Lilia is a street florist in Chisinau. The March festivities promised him a prosperous month, but the economic crisis, caused by the sanctions imposed by Moscow since Moldova looked to the European Union, weighs heavily on the country. “People save moneyshe regrets. Before they bought 25 flowers, today they only take one. From now on, our only goal is to have bread and to be able to pay the bills.”
Behind her is a hotel full of Ukrainian refugees. Some bought her tulips to forget the war for a bit, says the street florist. Since the invasion, this 48-year-old woman has turned her back on Russia: “I would never have believed that Putin could make such a decision.” “If Transnistria wants to separate from Moldova, let it do so, provided there is no wargets carried away the florist. I’m not afraid of the fall of Odessa, but of separatist Transnistria. For 30 years, the Russian army has occupied this territory illegally.”
“We made our choice, no one has the right to impose anything on us.”
Lilia, resident of Chisinauat franceinfo
Lilia strongly believes in the future of Moldova within the European Union, but the road will be long. Ukraine’s application for EU membership, submitted on February 28, and those of Georgia and Moldova, submitted on March 3, were discussed on the sidelines of the European summit in Versailles on Thursday 10 and Friday March 11, by ruling out an express membership procedure. The examination of these three candidacies was launched by the Union on 7 March.