Dodon about NATO Liaision Office: I will oppose these attempts
President-elect Igor Dodon is dissatisfied with the signing of the agreement by Prime Minister Filip and NATO General Secretary, Jens Stoltenberg to open a NATO liaison office in Chisinau.
In a post on his facebook page, Dodon writes that "the government and Westerners are quick to realize some projects to be closer to NATO, because they understand that since I officially enter the office, I will oppose these attempts."
"I said in the election campaign earlier that there are serious threats to the address of Moldova's neutrality. There is a risk that the Occident would set conditions that the European integration process is accompanied by the NATO membership. Now, when a socialist who is concerned of the statehood was elected president, the government and Westerners are quick to realize some projects to be closer to NATO, because they understand that since I officially enter the office, I will oppose these attempts," President elect writes.
Further Igor Dodon also said that his position is firm and is in line with the wishes of the majority of Moldovan citizens: "we do not want foreign armies in our country (whatever they are), we do not want to be part of military blocks, we do not want to be members of NATO. As president I will do everything in my power to keep the neutrality of Moldova. And I will keep it."
We remind that a NATO Liaison Office will be set up in Chisinau. An agreement to this effect was signed by Prime Minister Pavel Filip and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Jens Stoltenberg said that the new office is a civilian one and not a military base, after talks at NATO headquarters in Brussels with Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip.
Asked by journalists if convinced that the Moldovan parliament and President elect, Igor Dodon, will accept the opening of a NATO office, the Prime Minister said that parliament will ratify the Agreement and that the president will promulgate it.
"I'm glad that Moldova finally ended this campaign. We will be down to earth after the presidential campaign, in order to govern in the interests of Moldovan citizens," the Head of Government said.
Official NATO and Moldova relations began in 1992 when Moldova joined the North Atlantic Cooperation Council. Relations expanded when Moldova joined the Partnership for Peace programme in 1994.
It is worth mentioning that the revival of relations Moldova - NATO, was boosted when Defense Minister, Anatol Salaru took over position .
In 2016, Moldova has registered a premiere in relation to NATO for the first time, a final communiqué of the summit ally assigned a separate paragraph on Alliance's position towards Moldova.