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Democracy in Moldova

The collapse of the Communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe and the breakup of the

SOVIET UNION started the process of deep transformation for a whole range of countries in

which the democratization of society was established as the primary goal. Initiated in more or

less similar, the process of democratization is the basic feature of political upheaval after 1991 a

number of about 27 countries, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe. However, experience thetransition so far, as well as the analysis of the situation with the go shows that countries in this

area recorded different results of the process of democratization. In this regard, outlining the

determinants of reform, diversity awareness and analysis of the role of these factors in society

should contribute to a better understanding of the specific conduct of the transition process and

the results obtained. We believe that no more a so context can be understood democratic

transition of the Republic of Moldova and the difference in the results that have been achieved as

a result of the process of democratization. In the literature highlight deep polemic on the

Genesis, essence and democratization processes. The situation in question is determined so that

some authors, such as M.Godelier, D.Rustow, A.Przeworski, addressing the process of

democratization emphasis on qualitative characteristics of democratisation, so authors such as

R.Banegus, D.Sandu, interprets the transition extensively, defining it as a simple social change, a

a simple stage. Without going into polemics, we'll just mention that the process of transition as a

historic step, relatively autonomous, States and processes reflect the divergent radical and

complex restructuring of society up to its exit to the qualitatively new stage of development of

the economy, the stabilization of social and political structures, which we summarize the

definition both the aspects of quality, as well as the quantity of the process extensively. The

analysis of democratic changes in the Republic of Moldova is a problem that requires easy at all

to show off the specific context of their realization. From our point of view, one of the

democratic transition of the Republic of Moldova is determined by combining structural

elements of the political transition and the transition to a market economy. Such a situation in the

literature is evaluated as a \"double transition\", i.e. the political transition and economictransition. Such a transition should be considered as a process more complicated and

controversial than mere democratization of the country. Such an interpretation is due to systemic

approach, according to which the political regime as a specific type of political relations has its

genesis not only in the political system, but also in general social system, including the economic

system. In this regard, the Republic of Moldova is not the only country that achieves \"double

transition\", we consider, however, that distinct economic structure, with its specific items causesa certain influence on the political transition in the country, and involved both internal factors, as

well as international.

The transition to a market economy in the Republic of Moldova, social-economic reforms have

resulted in the enormous social cost, with a high degree of poverty, caused by both objective

factors and subjective, which has deep implications in all areas of socio-economic and politicalorganizations in the country. Thus, Moldova is ranked 115 in terms of human development index

(0,671), below the average of the CIS-EC regional and global. Analysis of the relationship

between poverty and democracy is quite complex and requires a much deeper. First, we draw

attention to the fact that the majority of democratic States in the international system can be

defined as a state with a high degree of social welfare, and on the basis of this fact we are able to

identify the incompatibility between these two phenomena. However, the fact that some

countries, such as India, are labeled as democratic, or at least partially democratic, already

impose need deep reflections on the relationship between the two phenomena, excluding total

incompatibility. The interpretation by some authors of the material the toilsome ascent as

something inevitable in the context of democratic transition may lead to the conclusion that

poverty is enough to compromise democracy or democratic reform processes. If the reforms arenot implemented in democratic conditions, then it can institutionalise conflicts related to the

distribution, a fact that complicates democratic transition.

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Deep-seated political implications in the context of the transition are determined by another

effect of the transition economic emigration, according to the data presented, the impressive

proportions in the Republic of Moldova and varies between 600 thousand (the official data

presented) and 1 million emigrants. Analysis of the relationship between the democratic

transition, migration is a task not easy at present being absent some special publications that

demonstrate this solid connection. Every relationship requires a systemic approach, since these

two phenomena have tangent points that need to be harnessed in order to rationalise the socio-political practice, the optimization of the work of the decision-making bodies and the opposition.

The impressive dimensions of migration in the Republic of Moldova have affected human and

social capital are important factors required to be valued in the context of transition and

democratic consolidation. Thus, if the transition process migration is a fact proven when we

consider that the relationship can be reversed. According to the theory, demographic

transformations in turn is an important factor that causes profound changes in society. In the case

of the Republic of Moldova to increase the dimensions of the phenomenon under consideration

has had profound political implications of electoral processes, and full awareness of its effects on

the process in question is still to be removed. If we take into consideration the departure abroad

mainly to social categories and such a phenomenon as electoral preferences depending on the

categories of age, then we could infer the trends of predominance of political forces withnostalgic notes to the Soviet past. On the basis of the mentioned, we can conclude that the

process of democratic transition in the Republic of Moldova is a multidimensional phenomenon

which is characterized by a high degree of complexity of double transitionspolitical transition

and the transition to a market economy.

The complexity of the double transition of the Republic of Moldova shall be supplemented by a

third factor, which are required began recently in Western studies. It is the identitar, which

substantially complicates the process of democratic transition. The assumption that \"high

cultural, linguistic plurality, religion in some countries immature makes it more difficult

transition towards democracy\" has been used to identify the specifics of transition in some

countries of South-Eastern Europe and the post-Soviet space. We believe that this assumption

relates perfectly to describe the situation in the Republic of Moldova. Disputes concerningnational identity persists at all levels, but especially are very deep at the political level, and civic

and political consensus of the society, which in our opinion is a basic prerequisite for the

successful achievement of the democratic transition. Such a crisis of national identity affects the

population's trust in the State institutions, as well as determine the worsening social and inter-

ethnic relations in the country. In addition, the crisis of this kind in a country without democratic

traditions constitute a temptation of antidemocratic behavior, the mechanism which can be

involved on the side of one of the parties of the conflict identitar, or from some political forces.

In this regard, several legislative acts and actions of State violated the neutrality and objectivity

in the position identitar. For example, the adoption Of the national policy of the Republic of

Moldova with the contested phrase \"political neutralization of demoldovenizare attempts by\"

authoritarian and shared involvement of the State in matters of language and history, without a

deep dialogue with civil society and the opposition, as well as the sharing of the resources of the

State concerned, affect the country's democratic transition and impugn the promoted reforms. In

this respect, the promotion and consolidation of democracy in the Republic of Moldova is

characterized by deep-seated identity crisis or national may be assisted only by the construction

of a State political equality to all citizens offer and withdrawal of the State within the limits of

the rule of law.

International or regional system within which the process of democratization is a prerequisite for

the successful achievement of it, a condition that is steadily ascent in the context of globalization

and increasing international interdependence. The role of the international environment in the

analysis of political developments was emphasised as early as at the beginning.XVI by n.Machiavelli, which emphasize that \"certain political phenomena can be driving forces or can be

influenced by two different groups: internal and external factors\". Also, I. Kant has expressed

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such a concern that \"the establishment of a national Constitution requires an appropriate order of

the State's foreign relations\", rejecting the idea of democracy where the dangers coming from

the outside press daily over the country. Analysis of external influence on the processes of

democratization in the literature is quite controversial, being highlighted several ways of

influence on the States. Thus, some authors highlight four analytical categories through which

you can achieve international actors influence analysis on the result of internal political control;

the influence of contagious (diffusion); the conviction; the conditioning. Support throughout theprocess of democratization in the international community of democratic States, represented by

Western European countries and North America is a fact excluded any doubts and we believe

that it requires a separate study. In our case, we want to emphasize the presence of another factor

that distinguishes the democratic transition of the Republic of Moldova the majority of

transitional processes and who claimed that permanent influence in the region. This is a factor

which in the literature is designated by the term regional hegemonic position and that our visionis represented by Federeaia, which in various ways has important capabilities to influence

political processes in the region in general and our country in particular. In this respect, an

approach of hegemony in the context of the process of democratization implies taking into

consideration the rationalism of selfish, non-materialized through cooperation and promotion of

based on interactions of \"power\". Such an approach to democratization processes ischaracteristic of the decolonization process followed, in which the hegemonul (formerly

Metropolis) has several means to influence the political process in the country's process of

transition: the structure of the system of economic relations, the elites are the hegemon,

ideologies, Church, military power.

Thus, the analysis of the influence of the Russian Federation on the processes of democratization

in the countries of the post-Soviet area requires separate attention. For a start it deserves to be

pointed out that the space has been defined in its basic laws governing foreign policy, as the

exclusive sphere of its vital interests, the concept played quite controversial in the post-Soviet

space. The implications of regional hegemon represented the Russian Federation can be traced

through its geopolitical and geostrategic interests not only summarizes the interactions with

countries of the region, including the Republic of Moldova, but must be examined in the widercontext of global interest. The Russian-Moldovan relations analysis to define the level of

security of the Republic of Moldova to be successful democratization has a great importance.

The influence of the Russian Federation on the process of democratization of the Republic of

Moldova from the influence of interpreted as normal within the traditional realistic approach to

intervention in the internal affairs, exceeding the State normalului in the interactions between the

States, to direct or indirect implications in the territorial conflict in the Republic of Moldova,

made in violation of international law and the agreements concluded between these two

countries.

Strong economic dependency of the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation and the

difference in power between the two countries, the Russian Federation and impressive

opportunities to influence the internal political processes. According to some authors, depending

on the situation, stage and interests, Russia has not hesitated to use economic pressure or even

military in the report with the post-Soviet countries. The charges of the Russian Federation on

the use of economic pressures for political antajului are not at all rare in the national political

life of Moldova. At the same time, the sequence of events that allow you to invoke the link

between the economic pressures and the refusal to sign the draft resolution of the Transnistrian

conflict in accordance with the national interest of the Republic of Moldova and international

law, of the one part, and the other hand, the statements of European integration of the Republic

of Moldova and continue to expand NATO in the region.

In this sense, a distinct way of influence with profound implications for the process of

democratization is the Russian involvement in the Transnistrian conflict. The success of theinstitutionalization of separatism in the Republic of Moldova is either partially or even largely

due to the support provided by the Russian Federation. It's about supporting the economic,

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political, military, financial, separatism and even direct involvement, the first stage of the war, of

the Russian Federation to the separatist forces, which resulted in serious consequences for the

process of democratization and security national of the Republic of Moldova. It is also necessary

to note the presence on the territory of the Republic of Moldova, the withdrawal of military

contingent which is followed by the years of the Republic of Moldova and which is permanently

delayed, in violation of the neutrality of the Republic of Moldova and the rules of international

law. Interest in the geo-strategic potential of the Russian Federation to maintain its armies in theterritory of post-Soviet space can be shown by analogy in the case of Belarus with Russia has

already reached an agreement that allows the location of military bases. Such a judgment is even

more present in a situation in which NATO expansion to the East has made, in the case of the

Baltic countries to penetrate the space of the former Soviet Union, which comes in complete

contradiction with the interests of the Russian post-Soviet \"sphere of its interests\" in the

concept of security and foreign policy, expressed in terms of \"neighbourhood\". At the same

time, the importance of geostrategic (or rather of the Transnistrian conflict) lies in the continuing

rise of Ukraine make statements strongly enhanced integration into European and Euro-Atlantic

structures. Such situation is due to the fact that the Russian Federation Ukraine occupies a

special position in the structure of national geo-strategic potential, a fact that has been well

argued works of Zb. Brzezinski.The proclamation of independence of the Republic of Moldova initiated the process of

democratization, the shift to a market economy to be protected the rights of all citizens. These

tasks are explicitly formulated in almost all political and legal acts which are the initial period of

establishment of independent statehood. But subsequent developments of events highlights the

dependence of a number of risks and threats which constitute factors that hinder the successful

implementation of the above mentioned tasks. In this respect, it should be noted that the double

transition to the market economy and political transition, together with the profound identity

crisis and a strong influence from the outside, which was complemented by the need of

statehood, admindu that\"democratization and marketizare, post-Communist States have

inherited bureaucratic institutions weak, ineffective to be reformed\". Analysis of the idea of

creating statehood is an issue at all easy and worth to be noted that most of this territory wasendowed with a political structure due to permanent international confrontations between major

powers. In this sense, during the years of independence the Republic of Moldova has

demonstrated a high degree of vulnerability of one of the main component elements of the State

from the perspective of democracy and national security, and that is the idea. This vulnerability

affects statehood deep processes of democratisation of Moldovan society and has achieved

directly through the separatism, which represent a direct threat to the entire system of the

Republic of Moldova and calling into question the very existence Of the Republic of Moldova.

In this regard, a major factor that influenced the permanent process of democratization of the

Republic of Moldova is the Transnistrian conflict, which constituted an important factor for

destabilization of the situation in the country. The first impact of the conflict is political

instability generated by it. The separatism in the eastern part of the country is a problem for

many reasons. First, it questioned the very existence of the State in the absence of control over

the region generates the risk of maintaining the Republic of Moldova in the group failed States,

not having the opportunity to exercise power and administer the territory. At the same time,

segregation and was promoted in Transnistria represent serious challenges to democracy and

stability in the country, which in their essence shall preserve a climate of ethnic intolerance,

linguistic exclusivity and terror, and these implications affect deeply political consensus across

the country that, as menionasem above, constitutes one of the fundamental conditions for the

success of the democratization process. Secondly, the implications of their negative social

developments in conflicts have profound negative influence on economic development, a factor

that contributes to the development of poverty and economic underdevelopment, and therebyaffecting the democratic development of the country in general. In this sense, the conflict in

Transnistria has deeply complicated the transition to the market economy and the disintegration

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of the internal market has diminished economic potential of the country with about one third of

industrial potential and ninety percent of the energy, thus contributing to the high degree of

poverty in the country, according to the human development Reports, recorded one of the most

low indices in Europe. Also, the existence of the conflict affects the country's image by reducing

the investment appeal. Thus, Moldova during the years of transition has seen a low volume of

investment actually made also of the existence of the conflict, and the supply of shadow

economy through the activity of smuggling, tax evasion is in turn the influence of negativeaspects of the conflict on the process of economic and political transformation of the country.

The link between democracy and security is evident. Although democracy is not regarded as a

mechanism to guarantee the security, however, through its institutions and mechanisms it

contributes to enhancing security. The development factors of insecurity is by the reversal and

the threat to democracy. In this sense, the power of organised crime, trafficking of arms, drugs

and people, illegal trade constitute threats of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian regime to the

entire system and the process of democratization of the Republic of Moldova.

On the basis of the mentioned above conclude that political transition towards democracy of

Moldova takes place in a specific context which is continually influenced by the international

environment, involving the establishment of a distinct influences from a whole range of factors.

The democratization of the Republic of Moldova should assume in the context of such anapproach, not only a specific type of social relations, but also a certain specific order in the

context of external relations. Or, on the basis of claims referred to the foreign policy of the State,

as well as the entire State mechanism must be geared towards the achievement of the tasks for

the democratisation of society.