WI: Moldova joined Romania in 1992

[Vladyslav]

Transnistria remains 1940 with Ukraine and so there was no war in Moldova. Unionist sentiment was strong in Romania and Moldova in the early 1990s. When in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed Moldova and Romania have begun a rapid convergence. Moldova-Bessarabia became part of Romania in 1992 and received the autonomous status.
How will this affect the internal politics of Romania and whether lead to regionalization of the country and the establishment of Hungarian autonomy?

 

[thekingsguard]

For one, a lot of the troubles faced by Moldova post-1991 will be avoided.

 

[LSCatilina]

I think it's a given Transnistrian leaders just scede immediatly, and possibly turn it to a bloody localized conflict, Yugoslavian-style.

 

[Lord Insane]

I think it's a given Transnistrian leaders just scede immediatly, and possibly turn it to a bloody localized conflict, Yugoslavian-style.

Actually, the OP seems to suggest that the point of divergence is that Transnistria remains in the Ukrainian SSR rather than is transferred to the Moldovan SSR upon its establishment. So Transnistrian leaders might well make trouble, but they'd do so in Ukraine rather than Moldova or Romania.

 

[birdboy2000]

I think it's a given Transnistrian leaders just scede immediatly, and possibly turn it to a bloody localized conflict, Yugoslavian-style.

Might Moldova let Transnistria (and possibly Gagauzia) go in exchange for accession? Both places are ethnically mixed enough to be messy, but although I know little about Romania at the time, I can't picture many countries wanting to annex an ethnically based civil war.

Autonomy solved the Gagauzia issue OTL, and perhaps could do likewise in an ATL for Transnistria (on the other hand, Transnistria has a foreign patron) but is problematic in the framework of the Romanian state; if you give the Gagauz autonomy, next the Hungarians in Transylvania will be wanting it too. Would Romania be willing to make that compromise to absorb Moldova?

EDIT: And somehow I missed the Transnistria PoD. Disregard that part, the Gagauz issue still applies.

 

[MarshalBraginsky]

There's a part of Moldova that is inhabited by Bulgarians, so that might be tricky to solve in terms of Moldovan-Romanian unification.

 

[snerfuplz]

There's a part of Moldova that is inhabited by Bulgarians, so that might be tricky to solve in terms of Moldovan-Romanian unification.

My impression is that it is quite small. Still I could see an autonomous zone for both Bulgarian and Hungarian areas

 

[LSCatilina]

Actually, the OP seems to suggest that the point of divergence is that Transnistria remains in the Ukrainian SSR rather than is transferred to the Moldovan SSR upon its establishment. So Transnistrian leaders might well make trouble, but they'd do so in Ukraine rather than Moldova or Romania.

Ah, sorry, overlooked that. Nevermind then.

Wasn't Moldova significantly poorer than Romania in the early 90's, critically without Transnistria (that is, as I gather it, an important part of its economy even if with a PoD in 40's, it could change on this regard)?
Isn't a re-unification going to be quite hard, would it be only on economical matters, and be an huge drain for Romania (that wouldn't exactly need that), as it did in Germany except Germany had the financial means?

 

[Plumber]

I suspect that the Gaguaz team up with the Hungarians to demand autonomy. Russia will support the Gaguaz and Hungary will support the Hungarians, which could have interesting implications.

 

[user23123]

Bulgarians in Moldova from wiki

The results of the census held in October 2004, there are 65,072 Bessarabian Bulgarians (1.95% of the population) in Moldova (excluding the region of Transnistria), concentrated mostly in the southern parts — chiefly in Taraclia district. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessarabian_Bulgarians

Autonomy,no Romania will not grant autonomy,the problem is that autonomy is seen as a step to wards independences,and there is History,with the Nations to which those nations belong,then is not only the real history,but also the use (and distorting ) of history for political reasons,then there are the prejudice and the day's politics.

 

[Falecius]

Wait, wasn't present Transnistria part of the Moldovan ASSR prior to WWII as well? And the Moldovan ASSR is, IIRC, the nucleus of would-be Moldavian SSSR after 1940.