If I had a hammerIN 1918 the then three-month-old Moldovan republic gave up the struggle for survival and united with neighbouring Romania. It is a sign of how dire things are today, says Iulian Fota, a Romanian analyst, that people are talking about doing so again. Ever since 2014, when the embezzlement of about $1 billion from three banks forced a taxpayer bail-out that has crippled the economy, the country has been lurching towards collapse. Opposition supporters are permanently encamped in front of the government building. Maia Sandu, a former education minister who is rushing to build a new party, says the situation could lead to violence. No one seems to disagree.
On January 20th Pavel Filip, a close associate of Vlad Plahotniuc, the most powerful of the businessman-politicians who dominate Moldova, was voted in as prime minister. His administration is the eighth since 2013. Mr Plahotniuc had wanted the job; the president rejected him, saying there were doubts about his integrity. Mr Plahotniuc’s arch-rival in business and politics, meanwhile, was arrested in October after accusations that he had received $260m in...Continue reading
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