EU Troika-Moldova stresses need of completing negotiations on Agreement on visa regime facilitation

The necessity of finalising the negotiations on the Agreement regarding the facilitation of visa regime has been emphasised at the EU Troika meeting. According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, Deputy Foreign Minister Valeriu Ostalep focused during the discussions on the problem of receiving EU visas for Moldovan citizens, the importance of obtaining the EU Autonomous Commercial Preferences and prospects of developing the relations between Moldova and EU after the term set for the implementation of the Moldova-EU Action Plan will expire. The European delegation stressed the importance of the market economy and efficient implementation of the provisions of the Action Plan as a basis for continuing the dialogue on the future relations between Moldova and EU. At the same time, EU voiced its readiness to expand for two years the mandate of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), as well as the interest that it shows in funding certain projects as part of the cooperation development in the Black See zone. The discussions have focused on five items on which the sides shared their opinions: internal reforms in Moldova, Transnistrian dispute, EUBAM, frozen conflicts and cooperation in the Black See zone. Special attention was paid to the process of implementing the reforms in the country. The EU Troika-Moldova meeting at the level of deputy minister/political director was held on February 27 in Berlin, Germany. Moldova was represented by Valeriu Ostalep, deputy minister of Reintegration Ion Stavila, and Ambassador of Moldova in Berlin Igor Corman. The EU delegation was composed of Political Director of the Federal Foreign Ministry Michael Schäfer, head of the political Division of the Council’s Secretariat Helga Schmid, Deputy Political Director of EU Commission Lars-Erik Lundin, and Political Director of the Federal Foreign Ministry of Portugal Vasco Bramao Ramos.