Maia Sandu would vote for unification with Romania if a referendum were held, citing Russia's threat to Moldova.
Isabell Burmester and I co-authored an article in Journal of European Integration on such dynamics: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
#EasternEurope #EU #Moldova #Romania
If you've advocated since 2022 not to help Ukraine's defence because it's useless, you shouldn't be bloviating now about how Zelensky has to make tough choices. Sit this one out. In shame.
(*applies to a whole bunch that's why I'm not naming anyone)
7/ I’ve even got a list of 10 conditions for the #Tiraspol regime. My bet? They’d accept 60% of them.
So, congrats to the EU for stepping up again. This gas deal shows why the EU remains a force for good. 💪
6/ Aid for Transnistrians is essential, but with conditionalities.
How about scrapping the 2016 law harmonizing their policies with Russia? (Presidential Decree no. 348 and Government Order no. 682).
And harmonizing with Chisinau’s fiscal, insurance, & health systems?
5/ Now onto the EU’s rescue package, explained by Moldovan PM Dorin Recean:
👉 3M m³ for immediate use
👉 €30M grant for Moldova to buy gas (in exchange for electricity from the Kuchurgan power plant)
👉 A 2-year energy resilience plan
Great effort—but without conditions?
4/ Chisinau authorities stepped in and said, “Nope. Gas must be transported through Moldovagaz.”
With no other option, Transnistria had to do something shocking: play by the rules. Even “informal states” have to go formal sometimes. 🌍
Geopolitics, you’re beautiful.
3/ After some soul-searching, they realized that gas doesn’t have citizenship. #European gas? Why not! Sure, no Z, but it still burns.
Next, they tried shady deals via trading companies owned by biZniZmen from #Moldova , #Romania , and #Cyprus. Spoiler: that didn’t work.
2/ Initially, Transnistria demanded only “Russian gaZ” (with the patriotic Z). But there was one problem: the reverse flow through the Trans-Balkan Pipeline needed to cross #Ukraine️ . And guess what? Ukraine shut that route on Jan 1.
Oops. No Russian gaZ for you.
1/ 🚨 Breaking news from the Transnistrian gas crisis:
The #EU is sending 3 million m³ of gas to Transnistria. But here’s the kicker—it’s paid for by Russia! Yes, Russia is lending money to #Transnistria (via Tiraspoltransgaz) to buy European gas. 🧐
ec.europa.eu/commission/p...
Let’s unpack this 🧵
Sent!
Here is my take on #transnistria's gas crisis and the role of #Romania.
PM me for a friend link, to have open access to the article.
#Russia #EU #Romania #Moldova #Transnistria #gas
We are hiring: 4-year post doc position at our department, open to all topics in political science.
75% research and 25% teaching, good salary, great department and colleagues, and a beautiful city.
Deadline: February 15
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
It appears that #Romania will support #Transnistria 's existence as a de facto state, and also the status quo in the region. I'm not sure that conflict transformation, let alone its #resolution, can be achieved this way. #Moldovan citizens there must be protected by international law, first.
I shared my insights with La Presse on #Romania's presidential #elections. A far-right independent candidate leads—a sign of shifting dynamics in Eastern Europe. Read the article in French here:
#politics #easterneurpe #AI
Romania’s political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election.
Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, will face off against reformist Elena Lasconi in a December 8 runoff.
Belle opportunité à l'Université de Montréal @sciencepo-udem.bsky.social
#defactostates have agency. They are not only "Russian puppets" as commonly portrayed by the "experts" on #Eurasian or #postsoviet space. #Abkhazia is characterized by political pluralism resulted from local clan fights. #Russia is not always at the table.
Here is my co-authored article on #EU-#Russia relations seen through the prism of domestic actors in #Moldova, acting as #internationalbrokers. We conclude that Moldova is continuously exercising a tightrope act between Western and Eastern #integration projects.
