The European Commission will provide a report on Moldova’s readiness to become an accession candidate country in mid-June, said the executive director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) Iulian Groza. According to him, the Republic of Moldova deserves a firm European integration prospect by being granted the candidate country status. Representatives of the parliamentary majority said the authorities are determined to reform and modernize the Republic of Moldova so that the country joins the EU in a predictable future, IPN reports.
PAS MP Dumitru Alaiba admitted that the obtaining of the candidate country status does not mean Moldova’s immediate integration, but this will be a clear signal that Moldova is welcome in the big European family. Also, the candidate country status will ensure additional European funds for modernizing the country.
“Our immediate objective is to obtain the candidate country status. The next stage is the stage of reforms that will be painful in parts. We can also meet with resistance. We do not say that we will become members of the EU in a year, but we say that we will do our best to fulfill the criteria and will leave the rest to the discretion of the political decisions of each country,” Dumitru Alaiba stated in the program “Black Box” on TV8 channel.
Representatives of civil society said Moldova came closer to the EU standards by implementing the provisions of the Association Agreement, considerable progress being made primarily in the economic sector.
“The Republic of Moldova last week transmitted the second completed questionnaire. The European Commission carried out its own assessment. Towards the middle of June, the European Commission will present its opinion and a decision will be later taken by the Council of the European Union, the member states. The Republic of Moldova is a European state. We do not yet meet all the accession criteria, but during eight years we have implemented the Association Agreement. At least from economic viewpoint, the integration takes place,” said IPRE executive director Iulian Groza.
The European Parliament’s Resolution by which the MEPs recommend the EU institutions to offer Moldova the candidate country status is a political message that cannot influence the decisions of the member states, said ex-MP Alexandru Slusari.
“This decision by the European Parliament is political and recommendatory in character. Indeed, we have the most favorable geopolitical context. But we should not hurry to applaud. A lot of work is yet to be done at internal level. Everything depends on the international situation and principally on the results of the war,” stated Alexandru Slusari.
On Thursday, President Maia Sandu had a meeting with her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. In the discussions, the Moldovan official noted that Moldova banks on France’s assistance in obtaining the candidate country status. “Such a gesture will show to our society and authorities that the efforts to modernize Moldova according to the European model will be supported,” Maia Sandu stated in Paris.
