Moldova's Planned EU Pact Upsets Russia

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has invited Moldova to sign an association and free trade pact with the European Union on June 27 in Brussels.

The invitation was announced on Tuesday during a visit of the EU top official to Moldova. "Efforts now have to concentrate on the signing and the implementation of the Association Agreement, ensuring that Moldova and all its citizens can benefit of this closer relationship," Van Rompuy said.

Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti stressed that his country hopes to become a full member of the EU within a predictable timeframe, according to media reports.

The news was welcomed in neighbouring Romania, which has close relations with Moldova. “Moldova need EU support, free trade and reforms,” Romanian President Traian Basescu said.

He proposed that the EU agreement should be signed a month earlier, on May 27, to give more time for Moldova and “EU member states, such as Romania, Poland, or the Baltic countries, to ratify the document before the summer vacation”.

On the other hand, Russian officials reacted negatively to the news that Moldova is to sign the EU pact.

Russian Vice-President Dmitri Rogozin on Tuesday told the Russian daily Kommersant that if Moldova signs the pact, the Kremlin “will insist on revising economic relations with Moldova”, which is entirely dependent on Russia for gas.

He added that Moldova should hold fresh elections before signing anything. The pro-Russian opposition Communist Party is polling well before a scheduled vote in November.

Moldova was part of Romania between the two world wars, after which the Soviet Union annexed it. Most people speak Romanian, although the constitution calls the language Moldovan. Russian...