
Russia should care of itself to become attractive for CIS countries. In the end of last week western Mass Media informed that the European Union suspends the “Eastern Partnership” program till December. This message referred to the comments of Fredrik Reinfeldt the Prime Minister of Sweden, the country currenlty chairing the EU. The Prime Minister explained this move with “new arising challenges”, meanwhile six former Soviet states – Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova - lay their greatest integration hopes on this program. However, soon Christiane Hohmann a spokeswoman of the Commissioner of External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy of the European Commission Benita Ferrero-Waldner claimed that the accomplishment of the EU “Eastern Partnership” program proceeds as planned. She also advised to address Swedish Presidential Board to clarify the comments of Reinfeldt.
Such an ambiguity of the EU high officials within the issue of prolongation or suspension of the program accomplishment could be a stimulus for us. Could Russia and its Leaders who stated repeatedly the priority of CIS in its foreign policy use the pause of the EU activity within eastern direction to route deeper in those countries of interest for Europe? So much that Moscow has already done some moves in this direction.
On Friday for example the State Duma approved the initiative of Vladimir Putin to credit Moldova with half a billion of dollars. The acting President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin, who asked this aid with the Kremlin, promised his people that these funds will be spend on new roads and water-supply networks. And humanitarian aid, granted by Russia as fuel will be partially spread among farmers and mainly sold in favor of state budget. No doubts, that humanitarian move of Moscow will be beneficial for Voronin and its Communist Party within oncoming parliamentary elections on July 29th : the declaration of friendship with Russia has always been beneficial for political groups in this country. But the life proved that declaration has never demonstrated real intentions of Moldavian government. Official Kishinev proclaimed EU integration as the main objective. And no refusals to include the country immediately, and possible delays in “Eastern Partnership” program accomplishment won’t make Moldavian people to refuse of the course on unification of the states, where there are real jobs with good salaries for Moldavian young people and very attractive prospects. No matter how strong Moldovans sympathize Russia, they prefer for their children to live in more comfortable, prosperous states of neighboring Europe.
Other Republics involved into the “Eastern Partnership” program have the same foreign policy vector on the EU. Even our closest ally Belarus realizes that its future is in European partnership. Even considering that according to Aleksander Lukashenko “we and Russian people are single people”. The direction of this vector will remain the same till Russia becomes as attractive for its neighbors and CIS partners as Europe. But for this reason it should become more attractive in economy and policy. At the moment there is no such a priority to spend the money of Russian tax-payers to buy the sympathy of others, especially considering that today 10 million of Russian citizens are unemployed. Moreover it would be incorrect and inefficient. It is better to spend it on our prospect – on the establishment of “Russian vector”, attractive with its equivalency of choice. Especially regarding difficult times we are having now. When more prosperous Europeans think to suspend or cease humanitarian programs, we have all the ways opened. However, there are no signs of the establishment of clear and definite Russian alternative. Unfortunately.
Translated from ng.ru