Romania says ready to discuss reunification if Moldova seeks it

Romania is ready to discuss reunification with the Republic of Moldova if Chisinau chooses that path, a senior Romanian official and member of the European Parliament has said, as debate over the future relationship between the two countries gains renewed attention.

Eugen Tomac, an MEP and honorary adviser to Romanian President Nicușor Dan, said in an interview that “any Romanian acting in good faith, on either side of the Prut River, views reunification as a natural historical process,” Caliber.Az reports. 

He said Romania’s official position is that it is prepared to engage in serious negotiations on the issue, but only if the Republic of Moldova itself considers reunification to be a genuine option.

Tomac’s comments come after Moldovan President Maia Sandu said she would vote in favour of reunification in a possible referendum, a statement that has revived public discussion in both countries about the long-term future of their relationship.

He stressed that Bucharest cannot ignore the political reality in Chisinau, where voters have repeatedly expressed a pro-European orientation through elections and referendums. According to Tomac, the shared priority of both governments remains accelerating Moldova’s European integration by all available means.

The Romanian official recalled that Bucharest formally declared its readiness to discuss reunification in March 2018, when parliament adopted a declaration on the matter without a single vote against. He said this remains the official position of the Romanian state and has not changed.

Asked about international backing in the event of a reunification process, Tomac said Romania’s partners in the European Union, NATO and the United States are aware that the same people live in both countries, and argued that any discussion on the issue must be conducted in a serious and responsible manner.

President Nicușor Dan has previously said that he personally supports unification with Moldova, but has made clear that Romania would not take any steps as long as Moldovan citizens continue to support their current form of statehood.

By Sabina Mammadli