Question for written answerE-005341-15to the Commission (Vice-President/High Representative)Rule 130Jean-Luc Schaffhauser(NI)(31 March 2015)Subject: VP/HR — Political situation in Moldova

On 22 March 2015, the elections for the post of governor (Bashkan) of the autonomous region of Gagauzia brought Irina Vlah to power. Ms Vlah campaigned for closer economic and political ties between Gagauzia and Russia. The election confirmed the outcome of the local referendum of 2 February 2014, in which Gagauzians had overwhelmingly voted against Moldova joining the European Union and in favour of it becoming part of the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia.

Moldova's pro-European government has been fuelling tensions with Gagauzia over the past year:

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on 3 June 2014, acting in collusion with the regime in power in Moldova, activists opposed to the local government stormed the regional parliament;

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on 18 July, the Moldovan Parliament adopted at first reading a legislative package curtailing the powers of the Gaugazian authorities;

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on 17 March 2015, the President of the Republic of Moldova proposed that Russian parliamentarians should be banned from entering Moldovan territory during the Gaugazian election campaign.

In the light of a situation in which the prospect of EU membership, far from being a factor for peace, is acting as a catalyst for civil war, how do you intend to contribute to maintaining civil peace in a State which has concluded an association agreement with the European Union?