Businessman Alexandru Machedon founded the most important local IT&C group in Moldova. This group includes the largest private land telecom operator, StarNet, the most important innovation hub, Digital Park, as well as the software company Star Labs, which has started collecting awards and medals at international competitions. But Alexander Machedon has also distinguished himself in the civic field. He is one of the most prominent public voices supporting Moldova’s accession to the European Union. Alexandru Machedon is also involved in projects promoted or supported by the Royal Family of Romania, both in Romania and in the Republic of Moldova.
Reporter: You are one of the most active supporters of Moldova’s accession to the European Union. Why do you promote this idea?
Alexandru Machedon: Moldova is a European country. Its natural place is with Romania, in the big European family. Moldova has a definite European vocation. These things are part of our identity. Moldova has always been part of Europe. From a cultural point of view, we must not only refer to what the Dacians meant, but also to the Greek colonies, the Celtic fortresses or the Roman castles, but also to the fact that, in the Middle Ages, Moldova was integrated into the European economic and political system, whether we are talking about the Polish-Lithuanian Union, the Kingdom of Hungary or the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire or, later, the Austrian Empire. I include here the Ottoman Empire as a European power because, even though it spanned three continents, its political and cultural centre was located in Europe: Adrianopole, then Constantinople were as European metropolises as Granada or Cordoba in Moorish Spain, for example. Virtually the only periods when Moldova was oriented eastwards were when it was under Russian occupation. And then we’re basically talking about only part of the old Principality of Moldavia, known geographically as Bessarabia. So promoting the European idea in Moldova today is nothing more than a return to the natural.
Reporter: What benefits would Moldova gain from joining the European Union?
Alexandru Machedon: We already enjoy some of these benefits, including the right to travel without a passport. There are almost one million Moldovans who have Romanian citizenship, and this number is growing every day. These people know that being a European citizen means a lot, because we are talking about a definite respect that citizens of Member States enjoy internationally. There is also the security issue. Membership of the European Union gives us more security than Moldova has ever had in its entire independent existence. The economic aspect should not be forgotten either. The European Union has an excellent instrument called cohesion and regional development policy. Through this instrument, the poorest European regions receive the money they need to develop rapidly and to catch up with the most developed regions. This financial mechanism shows that European solidarity is real. In addition, the removal of barriers to the movement of people, goods and capital after accession will make Moldova more attractive to private investors. A collateral benefit is that accession to the European Union will not only generate economic growth but also development. This means not only more money for the people of Moldova, but also a better quality of life. It means better schools, better-equipped hospitals, modernised roads, low-cost flights to European destinations, less polluted cities…
Reporter: But how will your group of companies benefit from membership?
Alexandru Machedon: The StarNet Group is the largest private player in the Moldovan telecom market. You realize that Moldova’s accession to the European Union would mean lower tariffs and higher quality of service for our customers. We, however, have made efforts to improve the services we offer, but after Moldova becomes part of the European Union, access to the latest technologies will be much easier. As far as Digital Park is concerned, we could talk about accelerating the transformation of the old tractor factory halls in Chișinău into an innovation ecosystem capable of producing high added value. This means well-paid jobs, more profit for the companies we host and more financial resources from the taxes we pay to the state budget. So everyone benefits from joining the European Union.
