Russia Moldova Influence USAGM
Metadata
- Russia Moldova Influence USAGM
- April 13, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English FOR USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Moldova Russia Influence (TV) HEADLINE: Tiny Moldova Grapples with Russia Ties While Seeking EU Membership TEASER: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has ignited political divisions in Moldova. PUBLISHED AT: Wednesday, 04/13/2022 at 12:13 pm BYLINE: Ricardo Marquina CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Chisinau VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina VIDEO EDITOR: Ricardo Marquina PRODUCER: Marcus Harton SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, BR VIDEO SOURCE: All VOA PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:54 VID APPROVED BY: BR TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: English narration by Marcus Harton.)) ((INTRO)) [[Moldova’s population is strongly divided over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The tiny former Soviet republic, which has a majority Russian-speaking population in some regions, is highly receptive to Russian influence, which comes Kremlin television propaganda to church altars. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Moldova in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau.]] ((NAT SOUND OF CHURCH SERVICE)) ((NARRATOR)) Like every other Sunday, worshipers pack the St. John the Baptist Cathedral at Comrat, the main city in the Gagauzia region of southern Moldova. The homily, in Russian, is from priests that belong to the Russian Orthodox Church – also known as the Moscow Patriarchate. It is one of the many ties that Russia has to this former Soviet Republic. ((RADIO VERSION: Father Vasili is a Russian Orthodox priest who ministers at the cathedral.)) ((Father Vasili, Russian Orthodox Priest (MALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA)) “Moldova was part of the USSR and the Russian empire, and all this time this has been a Slavic, Russian land. That is why, like the church in Ukraine or Belarus, we owe ourselves to the Moscow Patriarchate.” ((NARRATOR)) Moscow's influence on Moldovan society is strong and religion, along with language, are the most important elements – say historians. ((RADIO VERSION: That’s the view of local historians like Vitali Voikov at Chisinau’s Marya Vasilievna Marunevich Study Center, who points to a rebirth of religion in the post-Soviet era.)) ((Vitali Voikov, Historian (MALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA)) “In a period of ten years after the end of the USSR, almost all the churches that were closed were restored. From two, we went to 32. In addition, today there are more Orthodox churches operating in the territory of Gagauzia than before the Soviet Union.” ((NARRATOR)) The main cathedral of this autonomous Moldovan region is located on Lenin Street, right next to one of the few monuments to the Soviet communist leader that can still be found in the country. This region, with wide autonomy, has been politically aligned with the policies of the Kremlin since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. And since Moldova took a political turn in 2020 towards integrating with the European Union, political divisions have become more marked. Moscow's response has been to dramatically increase gas prices to Moldova – causing a sharp rise in the cost of living, especially for the working class. ((RADIO VERSION: Veronika, who sells chickens and eggs at a local market, is suffering as a result of rising prices.)) ((Veronika, Chicken Vendor (FEMALE IN RUSSIAN. ORIGINAL VOA)) “Right now, everything is very expensive: gas, electricity, food for animals. We don't know what the future will bring, how we’re going to survive. It is very hard for people.” ((NARRATOR)) Moldovan authorities are on alert following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Shortly after the attack began, Moldova applied for European Union membership – a move seen as a way to stave off any potential claims on this small republic. But in a country divided between Russia and the West and without an effective military force, Moldova could be easy prey for Moscow's expansionism. ((For Ricardo Marquina in Chisinau, Marcus Harton, VOA News))
- Transcript/Script FOR USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: Moldova Russia Influence (TV) HEADLINE: Tiny Moldova Grapples with Russia Ties While Seeking EU Membership TEASER: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has ignited political divisions in Moldova. PUBLISHED AT: Wednesday, 04/13/2022 at 12:13 pm BYLINE: Ricardo Marquina CONTRIBUTOR: DATELINE: Chisinau VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina VIDEO EDITOR: Ricardo Marquina PRODUCER: Marcus Harton SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, BR VIDEO SOURCE: All VOA PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __ TRT: 2:54 VID APPROVED BY: BR TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: English narration by Marcus Harton.)) ((INTRO)) [[Moldova’s population is strongly divided over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The tiny former Soviet republic, which has a majority Russian-speaking population in some regions, is highly receptive to Russian influence, which comes Kremlin television propaganda to church altars. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Moldova in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau.]] ((NAT SOUND OF CHURCH SERVICE)) ((NARRATOR)) Like every other Sunday, worshipers pack the St. John the Baptist Cathedral at Comrat, the main city in the Gagauzia region of southern Moldova. The homily, in Russian, is from priests that belong to the Russian Orthodox Church – also known as the Moscow Patriarchate. It is one of the many ties that Russia has to this former Soviet Republic. ((RADIO VERSION: Father Vasili is a Russian Orthodox priest who ministers at the cathedral.)) ((Father Vasili, Russian Orthodox Priest (MALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA)) “Moldova was part of the USSR and the Russian empire, and all this time this has been a Slavic, Russian land. That is why, like the church in Ukraine or Belarus, we owe ourselves to the Moscow Patriarchate.” ((NARRATOR)) Moscow's influence on Moldovan society is strong and religion, along with language, are the most important elements – say historians. ((RADIO VERSION: That’s the view of local historians like Vitali Voikov at Chisinau’s Marya Vasilievna Marunevich Study Center, who points to a rebirth of religion in the post-Soviet era.)) ((Vitali Voikov, Historian (MALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA)) “In a period of ten years after the end of the USSR, almost all the churches that were closed were restored. From two, we went to 32. In addition, today there are more Orthodox churches operating in the territory of Gagauzia than before the Soviet Union.” ((NARRATOR)) The main cathedral of this autonomous Moldovan region is located on Lenin Street, right next to one of the few monuments to the Soviet communist leader that can still be found in the country. This region, with wide autonomy, has been politically aligned with the policies of the Kremlin since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. And since Moldova took a political turn in 2020 towards integrating with the European Union, political divisions have become more marked. Moscow's response has been to dramatically increase gas prices to Moldova – causing a sharp rise in the cost of living, especially for the working class. ((RADIO VERSION: Veronika, who sells chickens and eggs at a local market, is suffering as a result of rising prices.)) ((Veronika, Chicken Vendor (FEMALE IN RUSSIAN. ORIGINAL VOA)) “Right now, everything is very expensive: gas, electricity, food for animals. We don't know what the future will bring, how we’re going to survive. It is very hard for people.” ((NARRATOR)) Moldovan authorities are on alert following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Shortly after the attack began, Moldova applied for European Union membership – a move seen as a way to stave off any potential claims on this small republic. But in a country divided between Russia and the West and without an effective military force, Moldova could be easy prey for Moscow's expansionism. ((For Ricardo Marquina in Chisinau, Marcus Harton, VOA News))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date April 13, 2022 12:31 EDT
- Byline Ricardo Marquina
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America