Nikolay Babilunga: “The Customs Union and Eurasianism are new attempt to unite the people!”

Our expert, the head of the department of national history of Institute of the State and Law of Dniestr State University, the Candidate of History, professor Nikolay Babilunga reflects about problems of so-called European integration and prospects of integration of the countries of the former Soviet Union within the Customs Union, about the future of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian republic:

- Disintegration of the Soviet Union wasn’t determined at all. I don’t consider Russia as the empire which was surely intended to disorder. It was not British and not the Ottoman Empire, but as though empire on the contrary: here the centre didn’t oppress suburb! And in the Soviet Union everything was in the same way.

Russia actually was a milk cow for the Caucasian republics, both for Baltic, and for the republics of Central Asia. It gave to the allied budget more than consumed. All others arrived exactly on the contrary. Certainly, the system of the power which existed at Brezhnev approached to crisis. Local party political elite was grown. And they wanted not only the authorities, but also money, riches. I think that a root in it: local elite wanted to enter the market relations and to tidy up to the hands everything that was in them. Uzbekistan wanted cotton. Ukraine — coal, Moldova — wineries. And so on …

The people didn’t want disorder of the Soviet Union. The communist party wanted it! It worked for disorder of the USSR. And it was the scary tragedy for the Russian people. 25 million Russians suddenly woke up in others countries where they were called as mankurts, invaders and so on.

That to create something, it is necessary to put much! Forces, intelligence, will, energy … And to destroy — moment is enough. Remember how Talibs destroyed Buddhist monuments of world value which not they created in Afghanistan. Or will pour acid over a picture in Louvre and there is no masterpiece!

I think that the Soviet Union is lost once and for all — it is already impossible to restore it. There were illusions, including at me, that the people somehow will manage to hold politicians in a bridle, but it didn’t turn out …

But the Customs Union and Eurasianism are the new attempt to unite the people as it seems to me. But this attempt already has to be not political, not official; the main thing here is economy! Each of members of this union has to feel every day any simplification from its activity.
Benefit has to be mutual for all! And we see today that already many countries start looking narrowly: Turkey, for example (and it is the member of NATO), or India. Many countries are interested in creation of such organization.

And I hope that if this union will be favourable to all his members, it won’t collapse!

Russia doesn’t need Moldova in that degree as Moldova needs Russia! At a present course there would be no industry there. The country will be absolutely dependent, the population runs away … I saw statistics and estimates that by 2050 in Moldova there will be one third of the population of that now is in Moldova.

And Russia forces nobody — won’t be so that the autocrat or the secretary general instructed and all will execute it! Russia now offers specific conditions: we will create the union which will be favourable to all!

The political elite of Ukraine and Moldova resists to it any time …

But, as one of founding fathers of the USA spoke, it is possible to deceive part of the people all the time, it is possible to deceive all people partially, but it won’t turn out to deceive all people all the time! Sooner or later, but the power will be replaced. We don’t know when it will be, but …

If Russia would be the strong power, if the Eurasian union shows the viability, sooner or later, but the countries will start coming nearer to it. Especially as we see very serious problems in the European Union: Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus … Now they received Bulgaria and Romania; gradually Baltic turns into farm economy … How they will pull out the economy?! Germans already say about brand restoration, and British didn’t enter euro.

The more stronger the Eurasian Union will be, the more strongly such countries will aspire to it as Ukraine, Moldova and other.

Probably, the only exit for Transnistria is to join in any look. I don’t know even in what: may be as the associated member … After Russia recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia, it is clear that there are no problems — clearly that these countries will be! We aren’t recognized by somebody yet except the same Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

But what is possible to tell precisely is that Transnistria is the only territory in space of the former Soviet Union where nobody is afraid of a referendum!

On a referendum, apropos whom to choose Russia or Moldova, 96% were for Russia! Moldova is afraid of a referendum and won’t be to hold it because foreknow that will lose.

And a referendum won’t hold in Ukraine because all Novorossiya, the Dniestr industrial zone, East Ukraine, the former Slobozhanshchina, certainly, will support integration with Russia in the Eurasian Union. Well, and the west Ukrainians can arrive in a different way, certainly. But also there after all not only Banderovites and we will tell so, their spiritual successors …

I think that we will have a referendum sooner or later! We will see the opinion of the people and we will be able to go with this opinion to Moscow. Under any aegis we are ready to hold a referendum — for example, under the auspices of the U. N. Let the representatives from the European Union will arrive — will look how honestly a referendum passes.

And on the basis of the solution of our people we can already ask about the accession to the Eurasian community in any form. For the beginning it is possible as the observer.