Alina Radu & Elena Calistru: PEACEFUL INTERVENTION - HOW ROMANIANS AND MOLDOVANS ARE RECLAIMING POLITICS

Cathrin Kahlweit in conversation with Alina Radu and Elena Calistru

PEACEFUL INTERVENTION - HOW ROMANIANS AND MOLDOVANS ARE RECLAIMING POLITICS

Romania and Moldova have a lot in common: the neighbouring countries are united by a shared history, a common language, the struggle for a stable, resilient democracy and the fight against Russian propaganda and Russian influence. But there are also many things that divide them:

Romania is a member of NATO and the EU, which Moldova would like to be – and Moscow still has a foothold in Moldovan politics via Transnistria, Gagauzia and a partly Russian-speaking, pro-Russian population.

Despite enormous resistance and personal attacks, both women have long been committed to democratic oversight, fighting corruption and an independent media landscape. They do not want to leave their countries to oligarchs and mafiosi, but rather to strengthen democratic forces in the still fragile post-Soviet democracies. Radu and Calistru will report on how this can be achieved and what headwinds to expect on 15 December 2025.

Alina Radu (Moldova) is editor-in-chief and investigative reporter for Moldova’s leading daily newspaper, Ziarul de Gardă.

Elena Calistru (Romania) is the founder of the NGO Funky Cizitens, which focuses on civic engagement and political oversight, and the fact-checking platform Factual.ro.

 Cathrin Kahlweit, long-time SZ correspondent, is a publicist and presenter.