POLITICS NEGATIVELY AFFECTS NATIONAL UNITY IN MOLDOVA – OPINION POLL /// INFOTAG
Chisinau, February 16 (INFOTAG). The politics is the main factor that prevents the achievement of national unity in Moldova, maintain experts of the Berlin Institute for European Politics, the Institute for European Policies and Reforms and the Institute for Strategic Initiatives.
Within the research “Public Unity and Common Identity Strengthening”, experts conducted an opinion poll, which showed that 90.2% respondents regard the political factor as the most negative for the formation of the national identity. Among other factors people pointed at lack of a national idea and the difficult economic situation.
“The intervention of other countries also has a negative impact on the development of events in Moldova. 40% of respondents connect this with the possible unification with Romania, while 43.9% – with the Eurasian integration”, the research says.
Experts say that the society division on ethnic, historical or language principles is still actively used by parties in fight for votes – some political forces play on nostalgia for the Soviet past (which ensured success to the Party of Communists in 2001 and the Party of Socialists in 2014), others – on ideas about unification with Romania.
“The issue of unification raises a number of questions, which disunite citizens even more: the so-called state language – how should it be called Moldovan or Romanian? The history of what country – Moldova or Romania – we are studying? Who live in Moldova – Moldovans or Romanians?”, the research says.
“Regardless of the vector, the politics is seriously undermining the public dialog and distracts from resolving problems faced by all citizens – migration, poverty, economic instability”, experts maintain, saying that in Moldova there are a lot of points of contact, which will help the society to collectively resolve common problems regardless of ethnicity.
According to 99% respondents, the national identity is grounded on cultural values, while the main qualities of the country citizens are diligence, hospitality and respect for traditions. Over 80% of respondents maintain that for development of the country the authorities should focus on three key points: improvement of citizens’ living standards, protection of their rights and freedoms and the development of a strategy on integration and interaction of all country’s ethnic communities.
The opinion poll was carried out among 83 residents – heads and representatives of ethnic minority organizations from Balti, Cahul, Comrat and Chisinau, as well as experts in the field of interethnic relations.
