The Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola rules out the possibility of having an EU-Moldova-Russia dialogue as President Igor Dodon proposed. “We have bilateral relations with the Republic of Moldova and are ready to continue to discuss in this format. The dialogue in a trilateral format is excluded,” he stated in the talk show “Emphasis on today” on TVR Moldova channel, IPN reports.

Pirkka Tapiola noted that the Association Agreement with the EU is not an impediment for Moldova to return to the Russian market. “The Association Agreement does not affect the independence of the Republic of Moldova. We will only welcome the resumption of exports to the Russian market, which is a very big one. The Republic of Moldova has the right to sign cooperation agreements with any country, including of the CIS. It is an aberration that the European goods will invade the Russian market. The European goods are known and cannot be given as other types of goods. Or I don’t understand why to export European fruit to the Russian market, giving them as Moldovan when Moldova produces such types of fruit itself. In this case, it would be a fraud,” he stated.

Tapiola also said that it is rather in the interest of Moldova to keep the Association Agreement with the EU. “The Republic of Moldova is for the EU a very small market,” he noted.

The diplomat stated that he does not support the confrontations with geopolitical themes between the representatives of the power and party leaders of Chisinau. “The European Union was created to avoid geopolitical confrontations. We are interested in the quality of reforms. These confrontations distract attention from the implementation of reforms and the people’s interests,” said Tapiola.