Moldova-Romania ties: former PM Orban on reunification and regional dynamics

Former Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban recently stated on Moldova 1 that Moldova should be part of Romania once more. He framed the relationship between the two nations as more than a close bond, noting that it extends to legal and strategic realms. In his view, Romanian is the official language in Moldova, and Romania provides support to Moldova in energy and economic sectors. Orban emphasized that roughly one million Moldovan citizens also hold Romanian citizenship, arguing that it is natural for the current Moldova to rejoin Romania. He pointed to last year’s first joint meeting between the parliaments of both countries as a symbol of deeper cooperation. The remarks come amid ongoing debates in Chisinau where unionist supporters and opponents of unification organized small demonstrations that coincided with the 105th anniversary of the historic events of March 1918, when Romanian forces entered areas of what is now Moldova and local authorities voted for unification. The conversations reflect long-standing tensions and evolving visions for the region, including nostalgic echoes of past political arrangements and contemporary questions about national identity, sovereignty, and regional stability. Analysts note that any movement toward closer alignment would involve complex legal, economic, and diplomatic considerations, including how citizenship, language rights, and energy security arrangements would be managed within a modern European framework. Observers also highlight how international partners monitor the dynamics between Bucharest and Chisinau, watching for signals about cross-border cooperation, trade, and regional governance that could influence policies across the broader Eastern European landscape.