Rogozin’s travails in Moldova   The Moldovans are worried, the
EU unimpressed and both irritated. Clearly the appointment of
Rogozin shows a much higher Russian political interest in
Transnistria. The trouble is that when Russia would rather put
up a show instead of cooperating – Rogozin is the right person
to (mis)handle dossiers. Given that in the last couple of months
there have been some hopes regarding conflict settlement in
Transnistria after the long-serving Transnistrian leader Igor
Smirnov lost power to the younger Evgeny Shevchuk and Moldova
finally elected a president, the appointment of Rogozin is an
ever bigger nuisance. Rogozin is likely to be more concerned
with self-promotion than pursuing conflict-settlement. He is
also likely to tighten Russia’s grip over Transnistria (Shevchuk
recently spoke about adopting the Russian rouble as a currency).
Rogozin’s double-hatting as co-chair of the intergovernmental
commission with Moldova also give him plenty of economic levers
(gas-prices negotiations a