Moldova poses international and regional players a double challenge: the political stalemate and the Transnistrian issue. On the one hand, the political class is unwilling to reach an agreement upon the long-lasting presidential vacancy. On the other, the Transnistrian issue hampers Moldova’s geopolitical change and poses a global security threat.
The issue of Transnistria is related to Moldova’s ability to overcome the political stalemate and thus to be credible in front of the mediators and the Transnistrian counterpart in the settlement process.
In the past year, the main international actors, such as Russia, Germany, France and more recently the US, called for resuming official negotiations while both Romania and Ukraine have identified the conflict resolution as a top national security priority. The current favourable international conjuncture is a precondition for the resumption of official negotiations, but issues over the agenda remain. Moldova could gain a momentum if foreign policy decisions would be based on a broader consensus among political forces. The EU could play an important role in fostering the opposition involvement in the formulation of Moldova decision regarding foreign policy.