Republic of Moldova - January 2024

Moldova’s government let the state of emergency that had been instituted at the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine lapse on 31 December 2023, after passing legislation that transferred some emergency powers to regular governments. These powers include more authority to directly manage Moldova’s energy sector and food supply, as well as allowing the government to suspend media broadcasting licenses without a court order to prevent the spread of propaganda. Domestic civil society criticized this last provision, made public only on 29 December 2023, as “a profound interference with the right to free expression” and said the lack of transparency and public inclusion in the process conflicts with Moldovan laws on public participation.

Sources: Apel, ZDG, Newsmaker

Moldova removed customs duties exemptions for companies in the breakaway republic of Transnistria that had been in place since 1997, leading to protests by the self-declared authorities in Tiraspol and marking the strongest move in Chisinau’s year-long campaign to finally bring Transnistria under its control and jurisdiction (and clamp down on rampant smuggling in years). Separatist authorities in Tiraspol raised taxes on Moldovan companies in response. The decision is part of Chisinau’s efforts to reintegrate Transnistria at a time when Russia, its patron, is preoccupied by its war on Ukraine and faces mounting challenges in supplying Transnistria with the below-market natural gas that is the financial lifeblood of the breakaway regime.

 Sources: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Balkan Insight, Carnegie Europe