The videos and TV debates deal with European integration and the dissemination of related disinformation. The aim is to inform the population in Moldova about current EU issues, expose false narratives and create a space for open discussion. The videos can be viewed in Romanian or Russian on the YouTube channels of our partner organisations.
1. TV Debate: “Gagauzia at a Crossroads: European Union or Stagnation?” 27.02.2025
The first TV debate of 2025 was organised by our local partner IPRE and broadcasted on 27 February on the local news portal laf.md in Gagauzia. Gagauzia is an autonomous territory within the Republic of Moldova. Local authorities and the Gagauzian population are strongly sympathetic with Russia, and therefore largely opposed to the EU integration process. In the TV debate, IPRE Co-Executive Director Adrian Ermurachi addressed the widespread disinformation about the EU and showed that Gagauzia will also benefit from EU accession. The EU single market will improve the export conditions for Gagauzian products, leading to economic growth, more jobs, higher salaries
and an improvement in living standards. In addition to the EU’s existing support for infrastructure projects and Moldova’s energy security, accession will open up further opportunities for private sector investment and enable Gagauzian companies to participate in extensive EU-funded development programmes. Finally, the EU enforces special rights for ethnic minorities which will also help the Gagauzian minority to remain autonomous in the long term.
2. TV Debate: "The opportunities for Moldovan agriculture in connection with EU accession, in debates on Rlive TV" 10.06.2025
The TV debate on the screening process in the agricultural sector took place on 13 June 2025 and was organised by the Institute for Strategic Initiatives (IPIS) as part of CAPACITY4EU and broadcast on Realitatea TV. The discussion focused on how Moldovan agriculture can prepare for adaptation to EU standards. Ina Butucel, Deputy Secretary General at the Ministry of Agriculture, explained that Moldova is being evaluated in the areas of agriculture, food safety and fisheries. Expert Tatiana Nistorică pointed out the major challenge of a lack of investment, as Moldovan agriculture has so far mainly exported raw materials and the processing stage is underdeveloped. Nicolae Tîltu, Director of the National Farmers' Federation, emphasised the need for value creation, irrigation systems and access to energy in order to ensure competitiveness on the EU market. A central point of the discussion was the use of pre-accession funds: farmers need to be better informed about support instruments in order to overcome prejudices against the EU, among other things. Small farmers should be strengthened through cooperation and cooperatives, while transition periods can be negotiated for particularly sensitive areas. Finally, it was emphasised that EU standards apply to everyone, but Moldovan products such as plums and grapes still have export opportunities. Access to the EU single market would open up new sales opportunities and investments, which would mean long-term growth, jobs and greater competitiveness for the Moldovan agricultural sector.
1. Video: “Fact check: EU's changing security environment” 05.05.2025
The first video from our partner IPIS dispels the myth that higher military spending by Moldova would jeopardise the country's neutral status. Many neutral states, such as Turkmenistan or Switzerland, have high military expenditure, which is necessary as a deterrent. The EU's increased security efforts are also important in the context of the USA's changed foreign policy role in order to fulfil its responsibility to protect its own citizens. The EU has also been supporting Moldova's security since 2021 in the European Peace Facility programme with 137 million euros to date and a further 60 million euros in 2025. The video also shows that military investments and national security are not only the subject of controversial debate in Germany.
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