Moldova, a landlocked country of about 3.4 million people located between Romania and Ukraine, is a republic with a parliamentary democracy. While some progress has been made in moving towards the EU, the political situation has been unstable and the country has experienced political crises and the fall of several governments in recent years. Corruption continues to be the country’s most significant problem and remains widespread.
Even prior to Moldova’s 1991 independence from the Soviet Union, Russia-backed separatists declared a “Transdniester Moldovan Republic” (Transnistria) along the eastern border with Ukraine. A 1992 ceasefire agreement established a peacekeeping force of Moldovan, Russian, and Transnistrian units. The central government does not exercise authority in the region, and Transnistrian authorities govern through parallel administrative structures. The human rights and democracy picture in Transnistria is bleak.
The Commission has held several hearings, including with high-ranking Moldovan officials, and a number of briefings addressing democracy, rule of law and security issues in Moldova, including the protracted conflict in Transnistria.
Staff Contact: Michael Cecire, senior policy advisor
