Defense
The defense of Moldova, which is based on general military duty for
12 months, (2008) comprises about 7,000 men and is organized
into 3 brigades. To see related acronyms about this country, please check ABBREVIATIONFINDER where you can see that MDA stands for Moldova. Fighter aircraft missing. Semi-military
security forces amount to 3,200 men. Reserves in the form of
66,000 trained soldiers are far beyond what can be equipped.
The material is semi-modern and of Soviet origin.
Defense costs decreased in 1996-2006 from 4.2% to 0.3% of
GDP. (2008) The armed opposition in the Dnestro area has
7,000 men at its disposal. In July 1992, a standstill
agreement signed by the Russian Federation and observers
from Ukraine was signed. Moldova participates in UN
peacekeeping operations with observers in five countries.
Moldova's defense overview
Moldova has military service with first-time service of
12 months. From 1994, Moldova has been a member of NATO's
Partnership for Peace program. The total force figures for
Moldova's armed forces are 5150 active personnel, with a
reserve of 58,000 personnel (2018, IISS). In addition, 900
semi-military are in a riot police. Russia has military
forces in the country, in 2018 about 1500 personnel.
Army
The Army's strength is 3250 active personnel, including
1950 conscripts. Materials include 163 armored personnel
vehicles, heavy artillery and light air defense artillery.
Air Force
The Air Force has a personnel force of 600 active
personnel, three light transport aircraft, and six
helicopters. In addition, the Air Force has short range air
defense missiles.
International operations
In 2018, Moldova participated in UN operations in the
Central African Republic (MINUSCA) with two personnel and
three observers, in Kosovo (UNMIK) with one observer, and in
South Sudan (UNMISS) with one personnel and two observers.
In addition, the country participated in the NATO operation
in Kosovo (KFOR) with 41 personnel. Moldova's foreign
policy
At the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova
had refused to participate in the drafting of new Union
plans, but still later joined the Commonwealth of
Independent States (SUS), though with a number of
reservations about how close the cooperation should be.
Moldova's strong economic dependence on the USSR meant a lot
to the ratification of the USSR agreement in April 1994.
However, Moldova has refused to participate in military
cooperation within the USSR, nor is it a member of the
economic union.
The country introduced its own currency unit, leu, in
November 1993. Moldova has observer status, but is not a
member of the Eurasian Economic Community, founded in 2000
as part of the USSR. The good relationship with Russia that
the new communist government proposed from 2001 was
gradually strained due to the unresolved Transnistria
conflict, and the government has instead emphasized closer
relations with the EU and the US.
By the declaration of independence of Moldova, Romania
was the first country to recognize the new state. However,
widespread community in language, culture, religion and
history does not mean that the relationship between the two
states is without problems. Many in Moldova fear that
Romania is primarily interested in the reunification of the
two countries, and that Romania does not respect the fact
that the Moldovans have their own state. The authorities in
Chişinău have on several occasions blamed Romania for
domestic problems in Moldova, such as when the Romanian
ambassador was expelled following the unrest following the
April 2009 elections.
Moldova has combined its neutral foreign political status
and its economic and energy dependence on Russia with a
closer relationship with Western and pan-European political
institutions. Moldova joined the OSCE in 1992 and the
Council of Europe in 1995. Although Moldova does not want
NATO membership, the country joined NATO's Partnership for
Peace in 1994. This collaboration was later deepened with
mutual visits and action plans. The relationship with the EU
was formalized in 1998 with a partnership and cooperation
agreement, and from 2005 an ENP Action Plan (European
Neighborhood Policy) came into effect. It forms an important
part of the government's reform program in the field of
democratic and economic reforms, and makes significant
financial contributions from the EU.
Moldova has also achieved tariff relief to the EU. From
2005, the European Commission has a permanent delegation in
Chişinău. The closer relationship with the EU is also
reflected in the fact that the EU has gained observer status
in the Transnistria negotiations. A breakthrough in
relations with the EU came at the Vilnius Summit in 2013.
Moldova then, like Georgia, signed an association agreement
and a free trade agreement with the EU. The final signing
took place in June 2014. Moldova ratified the agreement in
July 2014, and significant parts of the agreement were
provisionally put into effect from September 2014. Visa
freedom to the EU was implemented from April 2014.
Russia has made great efforts to prevent Moldova from
getting closer to the EU, including by temporarily halting
imports of wine and other agricultural products from
Moldova, and by threats of limiting gas exports to Moldova -
an energy source that Moldova depends on of. Vladimir
Voronin, leader of the Communist Party, has condemned, in
sharp order, the association agreement with the EU. The
Communist Party's alternative is to join the Customs Union
between Russia and some other former Soviet republics. |
