Moldova ruling coalition, opposition edge closer on EU integration

Moldova ruling coalition, opposition edge closer on EU integration Chisinau - Moldova's ruling coalition and the opposition Communist Party edged toward finding common ground on Monday, with officials from both sides making declarations supporting integration with the European Union, the Infotag news agency reported.

Mihai Gimpu, the newly elected parliament speaker, said in a radio interview that his faction's top priorities were reduction of poverty and tying Moldova's economy closer to Europe's, while retaining Moldovan political sovereignty.

"Our political platform is based on two things: the elimination of poverty and European integration," Gimpu said. "But integration with the EU assumes the independence of the state of the Republic of Moldova."

In past years, Gimpu, leader of the Liberal Party of Moldova, had gone on the record as supporting Moldova's unification with Romania.

"I have my personal opinions, but our party has a platform," Gimpu said. "I am not going to push policy in this direction (towards placing Moldova under Romania sovereignty)."

Eduard Mushchuk, a senior member of parliament for the opposition Communist Party, in a radio interview later in the day, declared himself also in favour of Moldovan integration with the European economy. He called for a wide-based parliament coalition to work towards that goal.

"The Communist Party is ready for a dialogue with the alliance (i. e., ruling coalition) on European integration," Mushchuk said. "The ideal solution would be ... an alliance with the Communist Party."

Close economic relations with Russia, and an absolute rejection of overtures to neighbouring Romania, had long been top features of Moldovan Communist Party policy.

Former Moldovan president Vladimir Voronin, head of the Communist Party, in statements last week stepped back from that position, calling for a more westward orientation for Moldova's economy and closer relations between Chisinau and Brussels.

Moldova's largely agrarian economy is heavily dependant on exports to former Soviet states and on money sent home by Moldovan migrant labourers working in EU nations.

A 10-year Communist lock on Moldova's government ended after parliamentary elections in late July, giving a four-party centrist coalition a narrow parliament majority.

Voronin last week resigned as president, saying at the time he was willing to work with the ruling coalition and consider overtures to the EU as long as Moldovan independence was not threatened.

Moldova's links to Romania are sensitive subjects in the former Soviet republic, which prior to 1940 was a province of Romania.

Extreme right Moldovan and Romanian politicians have called for Moldova's return to Romanian control - an idea long rejected by Moldova's Communists and, more recently, by some members of Moldova's centrist parties. (dpa)