The Republic of Moldova is advancing on its path towards the European Union, in a regional context marked by security challenges and major geopolitical transformations. What do European partners expect from Chisinau and how realistic is the goal of accession in the coming years? In an interview for IPN, the Ambassador of Belgium to the Republic of Moldova spoke about reforms, European integration and Moldovan-Belgian cooperation.
The Republic of Moldova is going through a crucial period on its European path, and the opening of the Belgian Embassy in Chisinau marked a strategic step in strengthening these diplomatic ties. Belgium, as a founding member state of the European Union and host of the main EU institutions, plays an essential role in the enlargement process. Our guest today is His Excellency Evert Maréchal, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Republic of Moldova. Your Excellency, welcome and thank you for kindly accepting this interview.
Thank you for the invitation.
Your Excellency, you have previously stated that Moldova’s objective of joining the European Union is realistic. Given the current geopolitical changes, what are the most important factors that could accelerate or delay this process?
I think it is very important for the government to maintain the pace of preparing the country for EU accession. So far, it has done very well. It has acted very quickly, and I believe it is important to maintain this pace, this momentum.
More specifically, what are the important factors that could accelerate or delay the process? Judicial reform has always been the most important factor. It is important to have a vetting process through which independent judges, as well as independent prosecutors, are appointed, so that every citizen has the right to fair treatment by an independent judiciary. This is very important.
Another important factor is the adoption of a large number of European laws and standards by government institutions. But it is also important that these laws are implemented. This is not an easy task, because there is a lot of work to be done, but it is essential that these laws and regulations are put into practice. This will also determine the speed of EU accession.
Belgium is one of the founding members of the European Union and is at its institutional heart. From your perspective, which reforms in Moldova’s justice system and anti-corruption sector are absolutely non-negotiable for the member states?
As I mentioned earlier, it is absolutely essential that, in the near future, the country has truly independent judges, so that court proceedings can be conducted fairly and independently, and corruption cases can be handled effectively.
It is very important that major crime is genuinely combated. There must also be concrete results — meaning that we should see the active prosecution of people who have committed crimes, trials taking place and rulings delivered by independent judges. This is very important in the context of EU accession.
Aligning national legislation with the European acquis represents a huge technical challenge. What concrete support or expertise is Belgium currently providing to help Moldova manage the future negotiations?
First of all, I would like to mention that the Belgian government decided to open an embassy in Chisinau three years ago precisely to help Moldova on its path towards European integration. This is very important. Secondly, in 2024, Belgium held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and it was during the Belgian Presidency that the decision was taken to officially open accession negotiations with Moldova. Belgium did everything possible to reach this positive decision.
As for concrete support, we are always open to any requests that the Moldovan government may have. We are already providing assistance and contributing to European programmes that offer expertise in areas such as environmental legislation, agricultural legislation, food safety and other related fields.
We also frequently provide training for diplomats and civil servants from candidate countries, so that they can become familiar with how the European institutions work. In addition, we are currently exploring ways to be more active here in Moldova through our development agency, which could contribute more concretely to Moldova’s preparation for EU accession.
I should also mention the multilateral programmes to which Belgium contributes substantially, such as the Council of Europe, which helps Moldova meet the conditions for accession to the European Union.
Ensuring public trust is vital during this transition. How can Moldova effectively combat external disinformation and disinformation targeting European integration? And what lessons can be learned from the European experience in building information resilience?
You mentioned public trust. I believe public trust is fundamental to any democracy. Every democracy should have government institutions that people can trust. How can this trust be built? Of course, it is not easy, but I believe a government must clearly explain what its programme is and what it is doing. It must explain the reforms — and almost no reform is easy. People need to understand this, and in this way they can have the sense that the government is doing the right thing.
This brings me to the second important factor: communication. Even if you have an efficient government that is doing good things, it is important to communicate this clearly. If you do not communicate about what you are doing, you leave room for malicious actors who produce disinformation. So this is important: to communicate.
If there is fake news and disinformation, it is important for every country, every government and every institution to react quickly. You need to come up quickly with a counter-narrative, because if you wait too long, or if you do not do it, you leave the space open to those spreading these false narratives. So you have to act quickly. It is also important that all the authorities involved convey the same message, the same debunking of falsehoods, the same counter-narrative. There should be no discrepancies between these messages.
More generally speaking, I believe it is very important for people, especially young people, to learn critical thinking. I believe history is very important in schools. Young people need to learn how to interpret facts and news. They should also be trained in media literacy — how to analyse information from social media and other sources. This is a very important role for the entire education system and, of course, it applies to any society and any country.
You ask what Moldova can learn from the European Union. I think it is rather the other way around. I believe the European Union can learn a lot from Moldova’s experience in recent years. We have seen that Moldova is exposed to numerous hybrid threats and hybrid actions coming from the East, and in a certain sense Moldova is a kind of laboratory for all these hybrid interferences.
We have seen that Moldova has reacted quite well, despite the country’s small size and limited capacities. We also see that new tactics are constantly emerging, used by states such as Russia. For the European Union member states, it is interesting to observe how this hybrid threat, including disinformation, can be managed most effectively.
European integration also requires solid economic foundations. Which sectors of the Moldovan economy do you consider to have the greatest potential for Belgian investment, and how can bilateral trade be stimulated?
I see considerable potential in the Moldovan economy and in economic cooperation between Moldova and Belgium. Moldova is very strong in agriculture, the agri-food industry, winemaking and the production of automotive components. It is also strong in the digital sector. It also has an interesting strategic position and offers attractive incentives for foreign investors.
On the Belgian side, Belgium is, besides being the producer of the world’s best beer, the best fries, and diamonds, also a highly technological country. We are very strong in agri-food technologies, energy — especially renewable energy — and biotechnology.
Belgium is also very well positioned in Europe, being surrounded by major markets such as Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. As such, Belgium serves as a very attractive hub for Moldovan exports to these markets and to the wider European Union. I believe there is significant potential for cooperation between Belgian and Moldovan businesses and economic stakeholders.
Regional security is a major concern because of the war in Ukraine and the issue of the Transnistrian region. How does the European Union view Moldova’s stability and security as a future member state, and what is Belgium’s position in this regard?
Moldova is located on the eastern edge of the European Union. It is a small and young country, exposed to numerous hybrid and geopolitical challenges. It has done a very good job in coping with these threats, but they will not disappear. From a European perspective, I believe it is important to continue helping and supporting Moldova in strengthening its resilience, as we have done so far and as we must continue to do in the future.
You also mentioned the Transnistrian region. The European Union and Belgium fully support Moldova’s territorial integrity. The Transnistrian region is part of Moldova. We also support the restoration of political control over the region by the government in Chisinau.
However, this is a process that takes time; it could take several years. It is unfolding gradually and, fortunately, peacefully. It must remain that way. We have confidence in the Government’s management of this process. On the other hand, there is the process of European integration, which is taking place in parallel, but not at the same pace. Both processes are important, but one is not conditional on the other. The reintegration of the Transnistrian region may take place in a few years, but it is not a prerequisite for Moldova’s integration into the European Union. That is, I believe, the position of both the EU and Belgium.
Beyond the political and economic criteria, European integration also means shared values. In this regard, how do you assess society’s readiness for full integration into the European Union?
I believe that culture and cultural values are very important, however, they are not directly part of the accession process. The European Union is rich in cultural diversity, and it must remain so. Every country and every member state should preserve its traditions and cultural diversity. This is very important.
What is important is the country’s support for EU accession. In Moldova, this support has been expressed several times recently — during the elections and the referendum — so the support is there. Of course, there will always be people with different opinions, and this is perfectly normal. As long as there is democracy, freedom of expression, the rule of law and fair elections, this is perfectly fine.
I believe Moldova is on the right track: it has held free elections, allows freedom of expression and respects religious and ideological diversity. Therefore, I consider that the country is moving in the right direction.
Your Excellency, thank you very much for the interview.
And I would like to thank you once again for the invitation to the studio.
