2 Nov 2022 16:49

Neutrality status under Constitution does not protect Moldova, but may be changed with nationwide support - Moldovan president

CHISINAU. Nov 2 (Interfax) - The neutrality status laid down in the Constitution can only be changed with nationwide support, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said.

"We do not have a parliamentary majority to change the Constitution. The people's support is needed to change this situation. For a long time, the political discourse in Moldova has supported the neutrality, which as we see, does not protect us. We have a serious security threat from Russia, which we face every day. At the same time, we are a democratic state, we want to strengthen democracy, and it is important to us what citizens think," Sandu said in an interview with the Romanian TV channel Digi24 during a recent visit to Bucharest.

"The authorities are observing the constitutional principle of neutrality as such is the people's will," she said. Sandu said, "Moldova remains very vulnerable to Russia."

"Moldova does not have a security umbrella in the form of NATO, and we cannot solve this problem overnight. Even if we do not have such a security umbrella, we can find solutions that will give our citizens more confidence and security. Moldova is still vulnerable, and we believe we can only feel secure when it joins the big European family," Sandu said.

According to public opinion polls, an overwhelming majority of the people of Moldova support the neutrality status envisaged by the Constitution. Only 20% to 30% of the respondents support accession to NATO.