Anca Dragu, a Romanian senator, was voted on Friday, December 22, as the new Governor of Moldova’s National Bank. This is quite an accomplishment for the Romanian lobby and a step forward for the long-time goal of getting the two sister countries closer.

Anca Dragu has a solid background for this position. As an economist, she was appointed Minister of Finance in Romania between November 2015 and January 2017 during the rule of the Technocrat Government. Also, she was the first woman in Romania to become Speaker of the Senate. Also, she worked as an economist at the National Bank of Romania and an economic analyst with the European Commission and International Monetary Fund.

The interesting political game, noted in a comprehensive analysis of the context by Valahia News, is that the Moldovan Socialists voted along with PAS – Action and Solidarity, the party supporting Moldova’s President Maia Sandu, to oust the former governor from office and instate Anca Dragu.

Beyond any political meaning, this is also a step from what both governments intend to accomplish in the foreseeable future. Both sister countries were part of Great Romania, a territory that covered the Republic of Moldova, the southern part of Ukraine, and partially the northern part of Bulgaria. The two countries still yearn, more or less, to get back together as one, and there are exciting movements from both sides, such as to name, appoint or vote. officials from the sister country, precisely what happened with Anca Dragu.

In this context, one theory circulating in Romania is to have elected as president the current president of Moldova, Maia Sandu. This would be another way of getting the nation back together. And, if you have a passion for history, this is how the Union of the Romanian provinces in 1600 and the one in 1859 were accomplished – by imposing or voting the same ruler in all or at least two of them. So, it would just be history repeating itself.

Also, another theory is to have the two countries back together after Moldova joins the European Union, a process which might take at least 5-10 years to finish. Also, this possibility requires another step: for this political decision to be backed by all or the majority of the European member states. However, this hasn’t happened so far, so it would be the first time two European Union states would do this.

However, we also have to say that there isn’t 100% backing of the Union between the two sister countries, not even within their borders. Only half the Moldovan population would vote for a Union, while in Romania, the percentage is more significant.

Either way, this process seems to have its agenda, and the Romanian and Moldovan politicians follow it. In the long run, Moldova would be a more experienced country at the moment it will join the EU. Moldova could learn much from Romania’s expertise in the field and would be able to play its cards better when the moment comes. Also, a larger country, with 23 million inhabitants, would do better than one with 3 million in a European Union where the economic and voting power matters the most.