Moldova must switch over from the economic integration and political association obtained through the Association Agreement with the EU to the political integration into this international union so as to ensure the irreversibility of the development course. Such statements were made in the Konrad Adenauer European Policy Forum “Moldova’s Future in the European Union” that involved Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and ex-President of the European Parliament, Dr Hans-Gert Pottering, Chairman of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, IPN reports.
“I know that the European lawmakers, mainly those who supported the ratification of the Association Agreement, said it clearly that this is not the last step or the last important development in our relations with the EU. We know that this accord provides for economic integration and political association, but we want this ‘political association’ to be replaced by ‘political integration’ as soon as possible so that Moldova becomes a candidate county and transforms the Europeanization, democratization and modernization processes into an absolutely irreversible process,” stated Iurie Leanca.
“Though we made considerable progress over the last few years, I consider we didn’t reach that critical mass needed to say that the democratic processes in Moldova and the process of anchoring the country in an area of security and prosperity are irreversible,” said the Premier, underlining the importance of the November 30 parliamentary elections and the necessity of the pro-European parties winning them and comparing the importance of these elections with the importance of the Declaration of Independence. “We will decide what country we want to have in general, what kind of political, economic and social systems we want and where we will migrate as a country: to the area of stability that will ensure ascendant economic development or to a phase of uncertainty that will be called ‘return to the dark, unsafe and uncertain past’ from where a larger number of Moldovan people would want to flee.”
“When I started work in the European Parliament, I could not imagine that the former Soviet countries will become members of the EU during my lifetime. But it happened so because these countries believed in our values. You believe too and thus can do the same. The EU is not only an organization. It is a community based on values – freedom, human rights, the rule of law and peace – and if you accept them and make effort to meet the standards, the EU will definitely accept you,” stated Hans-Gert Pottering.
The Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) started work in Moldova in 2007, centering on political education and consultancy. Initially, the projects were coordinated through the Bucharest Office, but in 2009 the Foundation launched an individualized program for Moldova. In 2014, the Foundation registered a Representative Office in Moldova. The educational activities include conferences, seminars and workshops, while the counseling activities are aimed first of all at the political parties.
