Moldova–Romania relations
![]() | |
![]() Moldova |
![]() Romania |
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Diplomatic mission | |
Embassy of Moldova, Bucharest | Embassy of Romania, Chișinău |
Envoy | |
Ambassador Mihai Gribincea | Ambassador Daniel Ioniță |
Modern Moldova-Romania relations (Romanian: Relațiile Moldova - România) emerged after the Republic of Moldova gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Pan-Romanianism has been a consistent part of Moldovan politics, and was adopted in the Popular Front of Moldova's platform in 1992. The official language of Moldova is Romanian. The peoples of the two countries share common traditions and folklore,[1] including a common name for the monetary unit – the leu (Moldovan leu and Romanian leu). At present, relations between the two states are exceptionally friendly, especially on account of the pro-Romanian administration of Maia Sandu in Moldova.[2]
Following the
Moldova–Romania border
The Moldova–Romania border is a fluvial boundary, following the course of the
History
In 1918, at the end of
The union of Bessarabia with Romania was ratified in 1920 by the
Romania retained Bessarabia from 1918 to 1940, when it accepted a
Romanian–Moldovan SSR relations
![]() Moldavian SSR |
![]() Romania |
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In August 1976,
On November 5, 1978 the
A visit was paid from 14 to 16 June 1979, to the Moldavian SSR by a Romanian Communist Party delegation headed by Ion Iliescu, Political Executive Committee alternate member and Iași County Party Committee First Secretary.[6]
At the Romanian Communist Party's final conference in November 1989, Ceaușescu raised the issue of Bessarabia yet again, denouncing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 and implicitly calling for the region's restoration to Romania.[7]
Recognition by Romania
Romania was the first state to recognise the independent Republic of Moldova – only a few hours, in fact, after the
Proclamarea unui stat românesc independent pe teritoriile anexate cu forța în urma înțelegerilor secrete stabilite prin Pactul Molotov–Ribbentrop reprezintă un pas decisiv spre înlăturarea pe cale pașnică a consecințelor nefaste ale acestuia, îndreptate împotriva drepturilor și intereselor poporului român.[8]
[The proclamation of an independent Romanian state in the territories annexed by force following the secret agreements of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact represents a decisive step toward the peaceful elimination of this pact's unfortunate consequences directed against the rights and interests of the Romanian people.]
Within a few days agreements were signed for the establishment of diplomatic ties. Within a few weeks, visa and passport-free border regimes were established, allowing Romanian and Moldovan citizens to travel across the border with identity cards only. Already in 1991, Romania started donating books for Moldovan libraries and textbooks for schools and began to offer scholarships to Moldovan students to study in Romanian high schools and universities.
During the
On 14 April 1994, the Romanian
Votul Parlamentului de la Chișinău reconfirmă, în mod regretabil, Pactul criminal și anulează iresponsabil un drept al națiunii române de a trăi în integritatea spațiului ei istoric și spiritual ... Prin poziția geografică, cultură, istorie și traditii, locul natural al fraților noștri de peste Prut este, fără îndoială, împreună cu noi, în marea familie a națiunilor europene și nicidecum în cadrul unei structuri euro-asiatice. [9]
[The vote of the Parliament in Chișinău regrettably reconfirms the criminal pact and irresponsibly cancels the right of the Romanian nation to live within the integrity of its historical and spiritual space ... Through the geographical position, culture, history and traditions, the natural place of our brothers from across the Prut is, undoubtedly, together with us, in the great family of the European nations and by no means in a Eurasian structure.]
2001–08
In March 2002, the new Communist president of Moldova, Vladimir Voronin, announced that he was ending Romania's "colonial policy" towards Moldova by seeking a closer relationship with Moscow.[10]
In 2007, tension between the two governments increased in context of a resumption of Romanian program for granting some Moldovan citizens
2009 diplomatic row
The
The Romanian ambassador in Moldova, Filip Teodorescu was declared persona non grata by the Moldovan government, being required to leave the country within 24 hours.[18] The following day, the Romanian parliament nominated a senior diplomat, Mihnea Constantinescu, as the new ambassador to Moldova,[19] but two weeks later the Moldovan government rejected him without explanation, deepening the crisis.[20]
The Moldovan government instituted visa requirements for Romanian citizens and closed the
The Romanian government changed the regulations that allow foreigners who had ancestors with Romanian citizenship (including most Moldovans) to gain the Romanian citizenship. The new law allows people with at least a Romanian great-grandparent (instead of just a grandparent as before) to request Romanian citizenship, while it added a maximum term of five months for giving a response to the request.[23]
On 9 February 2010, the
Cooperation between Moldova and Romania on defence and security
On 20 April 2012, Moldova and Romania signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement.[25] The agreement was expanded on 21 June 2024. [26]
Presidency of Igor Dodon
Under President
Presidency of Maia Sandu
Moldova under the current presidency of Maia Sandu has reoriented to become much more pro-Romanian and pro-Western, despite Russian pressure.[32]
During the international and national COVID-19 pandemic, she had a meeting with Iohannis at Chișinău on 29 December 2020. On it, Iohannis promised that Romania would donate 200,000 vaccine units to Moldova as part of a collaboration program on matters of the COVID-19 pandemic and other topics between the two countries.[33]
Sandu accelerated the process for Moldova's integration into the EU, and has declared that "the Republic will integrate into the European space with the help of Romania".[34] Moldova formally applied to join the EU in March 2022, after growing concern over Russian expansionism (as seen in Ukraine), and was granted candidate status in June 2022.
Public support in Moldova for union with Romania has significantly risen since Sandu took power, jumping to 42.5% in the last poll in November 2022,[35] compared to only 24% support in 2018.[36] Sandu herself has said that she would vote "yes" in a hypothetical unification referendum.[37]
On 2 March 2023, the Moldovan parliament passed a law affirming that the state language was Romanian and not "Moldovan",[38] clearing up previous ambiguities.[39] The idea was supported by the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity and was strongly opposed by the Bloc of Communists and Socialists.[40][41] The Academy of Sciences of Moldova also supported this decision.[42]
Unification movement
Right image: A union between both countries excluding Transnistria.
A movement for the unification of Moldova and Romania began in both countries after the
When the
belonged to Romania. Since the recognition of the independence of the Republic of Moldova many references were made in Romania to the necessity of eliminating the consequences of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. As a matter of fact, in June 1991, Romania's Parliament adopted a declaration through which the above-mentioned Pact was declared null and void.In the aftermath of the
On 29 November 2013, Georgia and Moldova signed the association agreements with the European Union at a summit in Vilnius dedicated to the EU's Eastern Partnership countries.[47] In this context, the Romanian President Traian Băsescu stated that Romania's next project of national importance is the reunification of the two countries, reunification demanded on the streets of Bucharest, Chișinău and Bălți by tens of thousands of people.[48] More than three quarters of Romanian citizens agree with an eventual union with Moldova, according to an opinion poll conducted by IRES in November 2013.[49] A press release of the pro-union organization Action 2012 claimed that a poll conducted in Moldova, excluding Transnistria and Gagauzia, before the annexation of Crimea by Russia in February 2014 and revealed that 52% of Moldovan citizens would want the union with Romania.[50]
In 2017, the Day of the Union of Bessarabia with Romania commemorating the union between both on 27 March was officially promulgated in Romania.[51] Eugen Tomac, then deputy of the People's Movement Party (PMP) and main person behind this project, declared that "forgetting history is the same as betrayal".[52] Although it is not officially recognised in Moldova despite attempts to make it so,[53] unionists in Moldova[54][55] and Transnistria celebrate it regardless.[56]
In 2018, celebrating the centenary of the Great Union (the unification of Romania with Bessarabia, Bukovina and Transylvania), a demonstration called the Centenary March was organized by several Romanian and Moldovan activists for unification.[57] It started in Alba Iulia on 1 July 2018 and ended in Chișinău on 1 September 2018.[58] One of its main objectives was to achieve the unification of Moldova with Romania. The participants tried to collect 1 million signatures for the organization of a referendum.[59] Although at first the Moldovan authorities prohibited the participants to cross the border, they were allowed to enter later.[60][61]
Dual citizenship
A 2013 study by the
The actual number of persons granted citizenship in these applications remains unclear because each application may include minors dependent on the adult filing. The number of persons is estimated to be around 400,000, with a potential of 150,000 more persons if all outstanding applications are successful.[62]
In 2001, the
Between 1991 and 2006, 95,000
The Moldavian law limiting the political rights of dual-citizenship holders was challenged to the
One applicant interviewed by
Gallery
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Prut Riveris the natural border between Romania and Moldova.
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Eiffel Bridge, Ungheni, built in 1877, is the only rail crossing between Romania and Moldova.
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Moldova hasstandard gauge.
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Romanian leu can be conveniently exchanged throughout Moldova.
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Chișinău railway station timetable showing four departures to Russia and one departure to Romania.
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Patriotic poster in Chișinău: "Republic of Moldova is my homeland".
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Graffiti in Chișinău. The original reads "We want union with Romania", but "Romania" was later painted over with "Russia".
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Graffiti in Bucharest. "Romania and Moldova reunited in 2018!".
See also
- Fire Shield
- Foreign relations of Moldova
- Foreign relations of Romania
- Iași–Chișinău pipeline
- Moldova–Romania border
- Unification of Moldova and Romania
- Citizenship in Romania
- Controversy over national identity in Moldova
- Moldovan Embassy, Bucharest
- Embassy of Romania, Chișinău
- 2018 unification declarations in Moldova and Romania
- Moldovan–Romanian collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Moldova–European Union relations
- Accession of Moldova to the European Union
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Moldovan political leaders have tended to embrace Moldova's Soviet and Russian heritage while simultaneously advocating for Moldova's unique identity.
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