Moldova does not claim new territories. It claims the right to matter, Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu stated in the opening of the high-level international conference “Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine: Eastern Partnership and current security challenges” that was held in Chisinau. “Our goal is to build the state deserved by our people, by the Western model,” said the Speaker, being quoted by IPN.
Andrian Candu spoke about the common security challenges in Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, such as the energy security, information security (fight against misinformation and fake news) and defense in the context of frozen conflicts. He also referred to the three states’ aspiration to join the EU and the done reforms, according to the commitments made to the foreign partners, first of all for the benefit of the people of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine. He underlined the necessity of restoring the Moldovan population’s confidence in the European integration idea, which was lost by the previous government. The Association Agreement and the liberalization of the visa regime were elements of the policies that generated important effects for Moldova.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze said Georgia experienced itself the annexation of territories. Even so, it supports only peaceful conflict settlement methods. Georgia’s integration into the EU is the destiny and wish of the Georgian people. By reforms supported by the EU, Georgia reached a high development level. Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine should jointly address all the challenges and should work out a plan of action for the future.
Andriy Parubiy, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, said that four years ago Ukraine fully felt Russia’s cruelty. ”We said then that it was a war not only against Ukraine, but also against the whole civilized world. We said that Putin is a danger not only for us, but also for all the free people,” stated Andriy Parubiy. He noted the three states should take common measures to fight the Russian aggression. “I would call this area a shield of Europe that defends not only the own states, but also the other states in Europe and the north Atlantic area. We sincerely want out societies to be prosperous. For Ukraine, the fight against corrupting is a priority,” he said.
Damon Wilson, executive vice president for programs and strategy at the Atlantic Council, said the goal of the Atlantic Council is to eliminate the “gray area” that has tense relations with Russia. He noted he realizes that Russia blocks particular actions in Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, while the forum is a good occasion for establishing a strategic action partnership.
The interparliamentary conference organized in partnership with the Atlantic Council on the initiative of the Speakers of Parliament of Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine centers on issues related to information, energy and defense security and common current challenges, economic growth and rule of law in the Eastern Partnership. The event brought together about 150 high-level experts and officials, MEPs and representatives of the U.S. Congress, famous national and foreign experts.
