Moldovan PM Visits RFE/RL

(PRAGUE, Czech Republic) Marking the first-ever visit of a Moldovan head of state to RFE/RL's Prague headquarters, Moldovan Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanji met with journalists to answer questions about Moldova's "frozen conflict" in Transdniester, the Russia-Georgia crisis, and a potential future bid by Moldova for NATO membership.

Greceanji said recent events in Georgia are giving a new impetus to resolve the situation in Transdniester, which she described as "neither a religious nor ethnic conflict."  "The Transdniester conflict must be resolved in an absolutely peaceful manner," she said. "What happened in South Ossetia must not in any way destabilize the situation in Moldova. On the contrary, it has united Moldovan society."

Greceanji said that 70 percent of Moldovans support European integration, but demurred when asked about NATO membership. "Moldova, by statute, is a neutral country.  It is written in the constitution," she said. "We can cannot change our constitution every day. It's not admissible. So this is how we see the issue [of a potential future bid for NATO membership]."

For more than 55 years, RFE/RL's Romanian-language broadcasts to Moldova have been a dependable source of professional, independent, and up-to-the minute news and information.