Prime Minister Iurie Leanca assured the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso that Moldova will not give up following the path to the EU and will take no step backward. The signing of the Association Agreement with the EU is an imperative for the government. For his part, Jose Manuel Barroso said that the EU does not politicize the Association Agreement and the country will not lose its sovereignty. The President of the European Commission is in Moldova on a two-day visit, IPN reports.
In his speech at the Moldova – EU International Investors Conference, Iurie Leanca said that Moldova obtains many opportunities from coming closer to the EU. The Association Agreement that will be signed on June 27 will contribute to creating workplaces and to importing innovations into the country.
The Premier underlined that the benefits will come gradually. “The consumers will also benefit as the products will be of a high quality and the prices will decrease. The signing of the Association Agreement means a lot, but our goal is to join the EU,” he stated.
The Moldovan authorities set the goal of eliminating the constraints on businesses and of creating a fertile environment for investors in Moldova. “The level of transparency in Moldova is now higher than five years ago. The signing of the Association Agreement is a major opportunity. We already export 50% of our products to the EU. This is the most ambitious development project for our country,” said Iurie Leanca.
Jose Manuel Barroso said the bilateral cooperation is strong and getting stronger still. Bilateral assistance reached more than €560 million in the 2007-2013 period and is expected to increase in 2014-2020. €131 million euros of assistance are planned for 2014 alone, including an exceptional top-up program of €30 million to help the government and companies prepare for the DCFTA and facilitate Moldova's integration in the EU market. Moldova is already the EU’s largest per-capita aid recipient worldwide.
Jose Manuel Barroso said that six weeks ago the citizens of the Moldova have received the right to enter freely, without visas, the countries of the European Union, becoming the first among the 76 million of citizens living in the Union’s Eastern neighborhood countries to get this possibility. After the accord is signed, Moldovan exports can increase by 16%, while the impact on public finances will be gradually offset thanks to the substantial improvement of business activity. Moldova’s GDP could gain an additional 5.5% in the medium term.
The Moldova – EU International Investors Conference is held within the Moldova Business Week.
