reported by Liviu Drugus

ABSTRACT: Article published on the Moldavian daily newspaper Sfatul Tarii contains an interview with the Rumanian MP Vasil Diacon, philologist and jurist, federal councillor of the Radical Party

(Sfatul Tarii, Chisinau (Kishinev, Moldavia), July 1992)

The future federal Europe will be a Europe of the United Nations.

* Persons who accept divorce and abortion are anti-Catholic and a virtual member of the party.

* Transnationality, i.e. economic and political integration and federalization of Europe.

* Rumanian cannot be the makers of the Europe to come, but must accept it.

* Neocommunism is a warranty of inability to adapt to the new

* Caution towards the movements on the European political scene

Liviu Drugus. You attended the congress of the Radical party in Rome. What are the characteristics of this movement?

Vasile Diacon: The Transnational radical Party stems from the Italian Radical Party, which won two major battles: the law on divorce and the law that legalizes abortion.

Those laws were adopted against the current Catholic current, which could not (and still cannot) conceive divorce and abortion. As a consequence, the primary essence of the Transnational radical party is represented by anti-clericalism, anti-Catholicism, i.e. the movements that have a vast number of followers both in Italy and elsewhere.

The Transnational Radical Party is carrying out a campaign to federate Europe according to the American or German model or of the other federations of the world.

In this respect I believe we are faced to the makers of the Europe to come.

If we Rumanian cannot determined the future of Europe, we must work side by side with those which an influence this future.

In fact, the Transnational Radical party is not a party but a movement. The congress of Rome explained why it is called pan-European movement or Movement for the Restructuring of Europe. To the extent in which representatives from 79 parties are part of it, the Transnational radical party is not a party.

L.D.: How did fellow MPs react to the appeals to join the construction of the Europe to come?

V.D.: A large part of the MPs are member of this movement, which pursues the federation of Europe, a common European language (Esperanto), the abolition of the death penalty and antiprohibitionism.

Unfortunately, there are still a great many MPs and journalists who are still influenced by the communist mentality.

I believe that if we fail to integrate into the European structures we Rumanian will always remain marginalized. In participated as an observer in the elections in Albania, where I heard the unpleasant statements that the Rumanians are currently the representatives of the European neo-communism.

As far as we are concerned, we must carry out an in-depth and see what changes must be made in order to avoid remaining the last in Europe.

L.D.: According to some, the negative image of Rumania in the world is caused above all by the "leadership"...

V.D.: Yes, I think certain people who represent the leadership of Rumania should act to support to support Rumanians, and stop favouring their own interests or those of the representatives of the communist nomenclature.

L.D.: How do you explain the existing reservations regarding the purposes and the political aims of the Transnational Radical Party?

V.D.: In Rumania there is already an unfavorable image concerning this movement, especially on the part of some publications (e.g. the article of the newspaper "Romanul"...) which insist on stressing the idea that the objectives of this movement could have a negative influence. A comparison is made between the Yugoslav federation and the Rumanian unitarian state, which is aberrant. In November 1991, in Zagreb, we proved the meaning of the Rumanian space, the republic of Moldavia and especially the meaning of Transilvania, which is a Hungarian land received at the end of the first world war.

L.D.: What happened in Rome at the congress of the Transnational Radical Party?

V.D.: Representatives from 41 nations (1500 delegates, mostly MPs) participated in the congress; the former Soviet delegation (150 MPs) distinguished itself. In spite of fact that its MPs represent independent republics, for the most part they were Russians or pro-Russia.

These made an organized and coordinated attack against the Republic of Moldavia. The most assertive in this sense was the Russian-born Estonian Alexei Zibin and the Russian Lev Ivanov and Dimitri Zapolski. They brought a videocassette by which they wanted to prove that the rights of the minorities and especially of the Russians were not respected in the Moldavian enclave of TransDniestr.

Unfortunately, Moldavia had no MP to represent it, so we Rumanians from Bucharest felt forced to demolish, point by point, the "demonstration" of the former Soviet pro-Russians...

In the end no participant showed any special interest for the videocassette; in fact, the cassette was in all likelihood fake.

While the Estonian Zibib talked, a delegate from Kirghizia who was sitting next to me was drawing on a piece of paper: a big bear, whose hind paws were digging into Asia and the front ones were ripping apart the body of Moldavia in its Russian part.

On this circumstance I realized fully that the Soviet imperialism, through the statements of the Estonian Zibin, do not relate to the idea of losing Transdnistria and Moldavia.

I suggested to Zibin that he gather more information before making such rash statements.

The congress was broadcast directly through an Italian radio, so that the truth on Moldavia could be correctly perceived.

At any rate, the absence of the Moldavian MPs and the game of the pro-imperial forces is a fact that should represent, at least for the democratic and patriotic MPs, a serious fact.

L.D.: What is the picture of Rumania and Moldaiva abroad, and how does the public opinion evaluate the activity of the MPs from the left side of Moldavia and from those of the other countries?

V.D.: The fact that the image of Moldavia was completely absent in the European space was an unpleasant surprise. No one knew that Moldavia must be placed in relation to Rumania, and that it is currently the second Rumanian state of Europe. As far as the area that represents an integral part of Moldavia is concerned, the situation of conflict pertains only to the authorities of Chisinau. We Rumanian can impose a guideline on this problem, but we are morally compelled to help the Rumanians of that area. The problem, of the Rumanian areas that are not yet integrated was first discussed at the Federal Council of the Transnational Radical Party of Zagreb; on that occasion we asked the Ukrainian MP Vladimir Moskovska (a name which is an omen) to inform his colleagues in Kiev of our intention of opening a friendly discussion on the territories at hand.

The Rumanian positions is one: the re-integration of Rumania with the inclusion of these spaces, which are now under the jurisdiction of Kiev. Mr. Moskovska gave no answer back then, but I expected a further answer. The desired answer was tardy, and came in parallel with the visit of the delegation of the Kiev Supreme Rada to the Rumanian Parliament. Following this visit (a few days later), we transported books to the cultural association "m.Eminescu". On that occasion we discussed with Mr. Sanduleac (the ambassador of Ukraine in Rumania), who is known in Bukovina to be a fervent Ukrainian nationalist.

He benefited from a period of specialization in Rumania with a Rumanian grant, but his mentality remained narrow-minded and ignorant in the face of the Rumanian situation.

The conclusion can only be that all Rumanians and especially the ones living in the Danube area, must be extremely wary of all the events on the European political scene.