Benita Ferrero Waldner: Moldovan political forces should develop a culture building on respect between majority and Opposition

Political forces should start developing a culture building on respect between the majority and the Opposition, with a fair system of checks and balances in place, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero Waldner said in a speech delivered in the Parliament of Moldova on Friday afternoon, Info-Prim Neo reports. The European official said that Moldova needs this capacity of all political parties to act together at times of crisis in the interest of the people. “The European Commission was swift to adopt a ‘Democracy Support Package’ for Moldova to support this. We welcome the establishment of the Commission of Inquiry tasked with conducting an impartial, transparent and effective investigation into the events following 5th April,” she said. She also said that following the parliamentary elections in April, a number of important political meetings between the European Union and Moldova were postponed which has set back progress a little. “Moldova has been through a difficult period, and we understand that it is not easy to pursue a meaningful political dialogue at such times.” “We regret that time was lost during the electoral process. But today, we have a new situation. The repeat elections on 29 July sent a strong positive signal about the state of democracy in Moldova. The commitments that we wanted to see on respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law have now been indeed confirmed. And we see the emergence of a promising consensus in Moldovan society as well as in the European Union on strengthening our links,” the European official said, adding that the EU wants to accelerate the development of the relationship with Moldova, making full use of all the opportunities offered by the Eastern Partnership. “The first priority is the negotiation of a new agreement to replace, and go further than, the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. That new agreement should include among others the aim of a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Moldova and the EU. Not because it is an end in itself, but because it is the strongest incentive to promote trade, attract more foreign investment, and thus develop your creative potential to offer perspectives and employment to your new generations.” Benita Ferrero Waldner said the EU remains as committed as ever to supporting efforts to find a solution for the Transnistria question, which will continue to undermine Moldova, unless it can be resolved. “I welcome the new Government’s efforts to formulate a new policy on the way forward with Transnistria. EU-sponsored confidence building measures, and increased visibility of both Moldova and the European Union in Transnistria could play a part in achieving a settlement. Like your government, we believe that ‘5+2’ is the only viable format for a durable solution.” Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero Waldner had been in Moldova on a working visit during November 26-27.