EU conditions financial aid to Moldova on agreement with IMF, Filat

The European Union (EU) is conditioning a potential financial aid to Moldova on the signing of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat has told a news conference on Thursday, after a two-day visit to Brussels. “The negotiations and the signing of an agreement with the IMF is a test for Moldova. It is a precondition put forward by the EU for the offering of financial aid, and I don't mean loans, but donations”, said Filat. He added that Chisinau has still a number of unfulfilled commitments promised to the West, among which to ensure the functionality of state institutions, in particular the functionality of legal institutions and combating of trafficking in humans. However, Filat said he managed to inform the European authorities of the measures undertaken by the new government and received assurances that the EU would support Moldova on the path of effecting democratic reforms. “We've been assured we will be endorsed with a view to initiating, as soon as possible, talks on an association agreement between Moldova and the EU. A very important message that has been conveyed to us is the willingness of the European officials to intensify relations between the European Parliament and the Moldovan Parliament”, Filat stated. Another subject touched on during his visit to Brussels was the liberalization of visa requirements for Moldovan citizens. “I will not talk today about the time needed to achieve this objective, because unfortunately we are not in a position to specify an exact date, but there is willingness on the part of the EU which has never existed before”, the premier said. Talking about the intention to replace the existing peacekeeping mechanism in the Transnistrian region with an international civil mission, the premier said this can only be done through discussions and compromise with all the parties involved. “We cannot use pressure to achieve this goal. The negotiation process is going to be broad implying the participation of all the interested parties. The EU does not regard the Transnistrian conflict as a problem of Moldova alone, but as a regional and European problem. It's in everybody's interest to solve it”. Commenting on the protests staged by Chisinau pensioners angered by raised tariffs, Filat said the Moldovan citizens are free to protest when they disagree with the decisions of the government as long as the protests are peaceful.