Concern of the people of Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova

Moldova is watching the fighting in Ukraine with fear. This tiny country, one of the poorest in Europe, is about 50 miles[50 km]from Odessa and has thousands of refugees. When the Russian army was at the gates of the Ukrainian coastal city, the sound of bombing around this last large Black Sea port was heard as far as the Moldavian capital, Chisinau. Like Ukraine, Moldova is a former Soviet republic that has long occupied pro-Russian separatist territory: Transnistria. Moscow’s tanks have been stationed there for thirty years, and the country is divided.

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Lilia is a florist on the street In Chisinau. The March holidays promised him a prosperous month, but the economic crisis caused by the sanctions imposed by Moscow since Moldova saw the EU has hit the country hard. “People save moneyShe is sorry. Before buying 25 flowers, today only one flower is picked. From now on, our only goal is to pay for the bread and the bills. “

Behind her is a hotel full of Ukrainian refugees. The street florist says some people bought tulips to forget the war. Following the invasion, the 48-year-old returned to Russia: “I would never have believed that Putin could make such a decision.” “If Transnistria wants to secede from Moldova, let it do so if there is no warTakes the florist. I am not afraid of the fall of Odessa, but I am afraid of separatist transnistria. For 30 years, the Russian military has occupied the area illegally. ”

“We have chosen our will and no one has the right to impose anything on us.”

Lilia, a resident of Cicino

at franceinfo

Lilia is confident of Moldova’s future within the EU, but the road is long. Ukraine’s application for EU membership, submitted on February 28, and Georgia’s and Moldova’s, submitted on March 3, were discussed at the European Summit in Versailles on Thursday, March 10 and Friday, respectively, rejecting the express membership procedure. Selection for these three exams began on March 7 by the Union.