The shape of Moldova on the map may resemble a hummingbird in flight, the sight of which is almost as rare as discovering a well with safe drinking water in Moldovan villages. During this June, students of International Development and Environmental Studies from Olomouc's Palacký University had a unique opportunity to visit this country forgotten by the tourism god and at least have a brief look at the local cuisine, familiarize themselves with cultural and spiritual themes, uncover the secret of generous hospitality and, last but not least, discover the causes of the poor living conditions of the Moldovan population and get to know the fruits Moldovan-Czech development cooperation.
If you turn to the page with the map of Europe in the world atlas and move from the Czech Republic in an east to southeast direction, you will certainly not miss the states of Romania and Ukraine, which were our direct neighbors in a certain period of our homeland's history. And between these two giants is wedged a small country with a relatively low terrain and endless grassy plains and corn, grain and wine fields - Moldova. It was this low-income agricultural country that students from the Department of Development and Environmental Studies (KRES) of Palacký University visited to see for themselves the natural phenomena, local attractions, local civic activism and its actors, and also the activities of Czech non-governmental organizations and companies in Moldovan regions. Chisinau the green gem of Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is marked by the Soviet influence to a large extent, the remains of which you will come across almost at every turn. The architecture of the important buildings of the capital city, Chisinau, stands out with the austerity of socialist realism, the bygone glory of building "better tomorrows". On the other hand, not all local buildings are aesthetically simple – monasteries and cathedrals boast bulbous towers, columns and colorful decorations, half-decomposed uninhabited buildings and walls are in turn the spray art of the modernist subculture.
Even nature finds its own ways to inscribe itself for a sufficiently long time in the ever-forming form of the city - that is why Chisinau is quite rightly called one of the greenest cities in Europe.
In a similar way, history is combined with the present and the present with the potential future in individual economic sectors. Although Moldova belongs to countries with low GDP per capita and ambiguous political orientation, most Moldovans are warm and hospitable to tourists; and if necessary, they can selflessly advise the easiest way from place A to place B to all the more lost travelers straining their brains over a printed map of the big city.
Due to vicissitudes of power, Moldovan territory has been tossed around like a hot potato between the neighboring opponents - Romania and Russia. Until now, this imperial polarity can be seen in the political-geographical arrangement of the country. The almost border part of Moldova, east of the Dniester River, is made up of the Transnistrian Autonomous Region, which is close to Russia. However, the deeper politics of Transnistria and independent Moldova are far more complicated and it is not easy to jump to any conclusions that could be biased due to historical circumstances.
Moldova is currently slowly establishing relations with the European Union, which is evidenced by the presence of the European Union Delegation in the Republic of Moldova. This position is held by the head of the delegation, Peter Michalko, who dedicated several dozen of his precious minutes to the group of students from Olomouc. Despite the fact that his program was hit "suddenly" at the time of our visit by the people's protest and the subsequent ouster of the former president, Igor Do-don.
Despite this unfavorable situation, bordering on rebellion or anarchy in the streets of the capital, the participants of the field trip got answers to all our questions, which could be asked indirectly by the representatives of Mr. Michalek. However, the geopolitical problem of the future direction of Moldova cannot be clearly explained - the situation changes every moment. The answer to the question rests in the hands of those who are currently at the helm of power.
Visit Piata Centrala market in Chisinau
During their stay, young people from Palacky University were convinced of genuine kindness and grandmotherly efforts to treat rare tourists to abundant refreshments every day, when they accepted invitations from local organizations cooperating with Czech non-governmental organizations or companies supported by the Czech Development Agency (ČRA).
When choosing suitable souvenirs, you cannot forget to visit Chisinau's Piata Centrala market, which is usually crowded with tourists trying to negotiate lower prices. These in themselves are more than welcoming from our point of view. In the warm months, vendors here offer everything from freshly picked fruit and cut flowers to seasonal clothing with various motifs, matryoshka dolls, bijouterie, inflatable pools and sweets - these are the best gifts for loved ones of all ages.
Whether you reach for cookies, wafers, candies, dried fruit covered in dark chocolate or other sweet treats, you would take home mostly Bucuria products. This company is essentially a monopoly, as the volume of its production includes 90 percent of the confectionery on the market.
Mileștii Mici Wine Cellar in the Guinness Book of Records
The most important export item of Moldova (and for adults, the most valuable gift from travels) is wine. Thanks to the fossils that were discovered in the area, it is possible to date the roots of the winemaking craft back to five thousand years ago. Due to the continuing favorable climatic conditions for growing grapes, the export of Moldovan wines has a significant impact on the country's GDP - the annual turnover resulting from the export of this delicious juice reaches 3.56 billion CZK.
This amount also includes the production of the KVINT liquor store, whose building towers over the surroundings and still shades the leafy trees in the center of Tiraspol. KVINT produced the first patented brandy, the so-called divin, in 1938 and today can be proud of the production of approximately 20 million bottles of schnapps per year. As one of the most important Transnistrian exporters, this company has earned a prominent place - it is depicted on the back of the five-ruble banknote, for which you can buy a decent hot chocolate in a colony of kiosks on the outskirts of the city. According to the natural conditions, Moldovan wines are divided into Kodrova (central), Purkarska (southeastern), southern and northern regions. A Czech group of students from Olomouc included in their program a visit to the first of the mentioned areas, namely the cellar in Mileștia Mici, through whose underground passages we traveled in a typical means of transport similar to a minibus - the so-called marshrutka. This cellar was originally a limestone mine and since 1969 has been functioning as a state winery complex for the storage and maturation of high quality wines. Fourteen or ten years ago, in 2005, Mileștii Mici received an award in the form of being entered into the Guinness Book of Records for "The largest collection of wines in the world" - it counted 1.5 million bottles.
Moldavian winemakers are strengthening their positions on the European market
Winemaking is also an important business field for private vineyard owners. Therefore, between 2014 and 2017, within the framework of foreign development cooperation of the Czech Republic, a project to create a wine registry in Moldova was supported, the financing of which was supported by the Czech Development Agency and the American agency USAID. The implementation of the project included both the possibility of smoother access for Moldovan winemakers to the European market and the monitoring of wine production, as well as the training of local growers in the field of viticulture, including its legislative anchoring within the framework of European Union regulations. Participants registered in the register are obliged to own a commercial vineyard with an area larger than 0.15 hectares. Today, over 45,000 vineyards are registered in the register, which clearly indicates that the success of this project did not take long. And the number of registered wineries is still growing. And most likely they will grow until the market is saturated with them.
Palacký University students could see the results of Czech development cooperation with their own eyes and in real time thanks to the Czech Development Agency, for which they owe a huge thank you. It was a completely new experience for many young people, which will enrich the theoretical knowledge acquired during their studies at Palacky University. After returning from the excursion, the participants of the ex-course will write articles and prepare presentations, photo-exhibitions and lectures for the wider public, so that people perceive and understand the need for Czech-Moldovan development cooperation, which brings both parties not only a job opportunity focused on the fulfillment of goals, but also an environment for establishing long-term friendly relations.
Author of the text: Tereza Nováková, student of International Development Studies at Palacký University in Olomouc Photo: Veronika Miklíková, Zuzana Daubnerová, KRES PrF UP Photo gallery on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pg/mrsupol/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2948883868461741
Note: The article was created as part of the KRES field trip to Moldova and the GRV project "Development cooperation with your own eyes", which was supported by the Czech Development Agency (ČRA).