Left forces win local elections in Moldavia, look east

By Vladimir V. Sytin
The Ukrainian Times

The Socialist Party and the pro-Russian Our Party have won the recent elections to local bodies in Moldavia. Their victory can be explained by mass disappointment about the processes of European integration.

In fact, public support of European integration has decreased from 70% to only 32%, whereas the entry of Moldavia into the Customs Union of Byelorussia, Kazakhstan and Russia is supported by 50% of a local population today. According to observers, a victory of pro-Russian parties and left-wing forces may well promote better mutual understanding and confidence between Moldavia and Transdniestria, the Russian-speaking breakaway province bordering Ukraine.

Incidentally, many analysts think the European Union must persuade Baltic states to ensure an appropriate degree of devolution and language guarantee in their Russian-speaking areas, and then hold a pre-emptive referendum there to decide between staying in the decadent West and once-for-all separation. Russia should be invited to join an international monitoring group to supervise the election – but the operation would need to be carried through without too much delay before covert CIA activities could distort the outcome, as was the case in Ukraine.