Moldova’s accession to the European Union represents not only a political or an economic process, but a social one too, said the deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Association with Moldova, MEP Michal Boni. The official stated that it is very important for the Moldovan authorities to tell society what the EU means, especially what the integration into the EU means, IPN reports.

Michal Boni told a news conference that the authorities must inform society about the advantages of joining the EU and about the benefits of the pre-accession process. It is as important to consult civil society in the accession process and to ensure transparency. The accession must be perceived as something real, not as something utopian

The Committee’s chairman Andi Cristea said the European integration process envisions concrete steps and reforms that must be implemented. The reforms about which they often talk are not for Europe, but for increasing the living standards of the Moldova people.

The MEP said the signing of the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU is not the end of a process, but the end of a very specific stage. The next stage consists in the implementation of the reforms stipulated in the accord. Afterward, the country will be ready to apply for the status of candidate for accession to the EU. The final road represents the achieving of the final objective, which is the accession to the EU, but this thing necessitates time, progress and concrete actions.

MEPs Andi Cristea and Michal Boni paid a fact-finding visit to Moldova on April 7-9, 2015.