Defying President's veto Moldovan parliament approves protocol on military cooperation with Romania
The Moldovan parliament overrode the veto of President Igor Dodon and re-ratified the protocol on military cooperation with Romania on Friday, June 9.
The protocol had been ratified as early as March 30 but the head of the state, opposed to expanding the relations of Moldova with NATO and refused to sign it. Deputies from the Party of Socialists of the Republic of Moldova who support Dodon voted against it.
"The protocol directly contradicts the Constitution and the principle of permanent neutrality, jeopardizing the national security of the country. Its provisions have caused concern among the countries that are not part of the NATO bloc, which will lead to increased tensions in the Transnistrian issue," said the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for National Security, Defense and Public Order, MP socialist Gennady Mitryuk.
Commission Chairman Roman Botan, who represents the Liberal Party that advocates joining NATO and unification with Romania, presented his own arguments. "The Constitutional Court indicated in its decision that the right to neutrality does not impose additional requirements related to the country's foreign policy. International practice and doctrine did not prevent neutral countries from cooperating with foreign military bodies to prepare joint actions for defense," he said.
Since 1994 Moldova has been cooperating with NATO according to an individual partnership plan. NATO information center is already operating in Chisinau.
Earlier, the Moldovan president stated that he would not allow the opening of a NATO liaison office in Chisinau. An agreement on opening the NATO office was signed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip prior to Dodon’s assumption of office. Dodon also refused to approve a decree sending the Moldovan contingent to the alliance’s exercise in Romania.
During a visit to Brussels on February 7, Dodon asked the Deputy Secretary General of NATO, Rose Gottemoeller to respect the neutrality prescribed in the country’s constitution, expressing concern that cooperating with the alliance would complicate the Transnistrian problem. In a conversation with journalists, Dodon stated that if this office does open, it would stop working the next year after the parliamentary elections.