Simple directory > Regional > Moldova

Country : Moldova Official name: Republica Moldoveneasca (Republic of Moldova) Head of State: President Vladimir Voronin (leader of PCM) (since 2001; re-elected 4 Apr 2005) Head of government: Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev (PCM) (since 2001; reappointed by the President 8 Apr 2005) Ruling party: Partidul Comunistilor din Moldova (PCM) (Communist Party of Moldova) (since 2001; re-elected 6 Mar 2005) Area: 33,700 square km Population: 4.21 million (2004) Capital: Chisinau (Kishinev) Official language: Moldovan (in latin script) Currency: Leu (L) = 100 bani Exchange rate: L12.43 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$493 (2003) GDP real growth: 6.00% (2003) Labour force: 1.70 million (2003) Unemployment: 8.00% (2003) Inflation: 18.00% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$613.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$1.30 billion (2003)

Historical profile

Moldova is a remnant of the medieval principality of Moldavia (later called Bessarabia). Once part of Romania, Moldova maintains close ties with Romania and a majority of Moldovans consider themselves to be ethnic Romanians.

1940 The Moldovan Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) was established within the Soviet Union. The Moldovan SSR included land annexed from Romania and the Ukraine, providing much of the basis for the inter-communal strife.

1989 Achieved de facto independence from the former Soviet Union.

1990 Moldova's attempts to become an independent republic were hindered by the country's economic weaknesses and its strained relations with Russia. Ethnic Russians proclaimed the 'Transdniestr Republic' on the left bank of the Dniestr River.

1991 Civil war erupted between the Transdniestr separatists and Moldova. Russian troops were deployed in Moldova to oversee a cease-fire agreed between the warring factions. Moldova formally declared its independence, with Mercea Snegur as the country's first president, and joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

1992 Moldova was recognised by the UN. The Partidul Popular Crestin-Democrat (PPCD) (Christian-Democrat People's Party) resigned from government. A new coalition government took office.

1994 Moldova pursued a pro-Western policy and entered into NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) programme. The extreme left Partidul Democrat Agrar din Moldova (PDAM) (Agrarian-Democratic Party of Moldova) won the elections. A new consitution was introduced.

1996 Petru Lucinschi won the presidential elections.

1998 The Partidul Comunistilor din Moldova (PCM) (Communist Party of Moldova) won the biggest share of the vote in the parliamentary elections, but was unable to form a government as it was short of an absolute majority in the Parlamentul (Parliament). Right-wing parties, which had finished behind the PCM in the elections, joined together and formed a coalition government, led by Ion Ciubuc.

1999 The government collapsed. Its successor, an alliance of several centrist and centre-right parties also collapsed, following defections and a no-confidence vote. A non-affiliated government emerged, led by Dumitru Braghis.

2000 Against President Lucinschi's wishes, Moldova was transformed into a parliamentary republic -- giving the parliament the opportunity to elect the president instead of election by popular vote. Parliament failed to elect a new president when neither candidate received the 61 votes required for outright victory.

2001 The PCM won the parliamentary elections and Vasile Tarlev was appointed prime minister. Vladimir Voronin, leader of the PCM, was elected president by parliament. Russia committed itself to removing troops from Moldova by 2002 as drawn up by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Moldova joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Igor Smirnov was re-elected as self-styled president of the breakaway Transdniestr region.

2002 The announcement of plans to make Russian an official language and compulsory in schools sparked months of mass protests which ended only when the scheme was shelved. The OSCE deadline for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Transdniestr was extended until the end of 2003.

2003 Moldova was told it must meet at least three conditions in order to restore relations with the World Bank: to elaborate a poverty reduction strategy, resume relations with the IMF and solve a dispute between the government and Unión Fenosa (a Spanish company which owns three Moldovan energy distribution networks).

2004 In July, the Russian and Ukrainian-speaking Transdniestr republic closed several schools which use Romanian, Moldova's official language. Transdniestr also blocked the railway traffic, and terminated the power service, to Moldova. President Voronin requested the establishment of an international monitoring of the Transdniestr section of the Moldova-Ukrainian border.

2005 The ruling PCM and President Vladimir Voronin were re-elected on 6 March and 4 April, respectively. President Vladimir Voronin were re-elected on 6 March and 4 April, respectively. On 8 April, the President reappointed Vasile Tarlev as prime minister.

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