CHISINAU, January 21. /TASS/: The decision to abandon neutrality enshrined in Moldova’s constitution and join a military alliance should be made by citizens through a democratic process, President Maia Sandu said in an interview with Politico.
"Now, there is a serious discussion … about our capacity to defend ourselves, whether we can do it ourselves, or whether we should be part of a larger alliance. And if we come, at some point, to the conclusion as a nation that we need to change neutrality, this should happen through a democratic process," she said when asked about her country’s potential NATO accession.
In addition, Sandu pushed back against the perception that Moldova does not need to invest in its defense sector.
Moldova has agreed its Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO. The alliance’s Information and Documentation Centre operates in Chisinau, while a NATO Liaison Office was established there in December 2017.
Earlier, Sandu showed an interest in NATO’s support of national reforms and upgrading of the Moldovan army. This stand is backed by other pro-European politicians, who believe that the neutrality status was imposed on Moldova after the Transnistria conflict and that it should not obstruct cooperation. Opposition lambasts the idea of more active interaction with the North Atlantic Alliance.
