Iurie Leanca optimistic that Moldova will have visa-free regime with EU

Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leanca said the dynamics and changes in the process of liberalizing the visa regime with the EU show that Moldova will gain this right. In a news conference on Monday, the minister said that if his resignation can facilitate the liberalization of the visa regime, he will not hesitate to resign, but he does not consider that this is the key element, Info-Prim Neo reports. “I did it then (said he will resign if Moldova does not get a visa-free regime by this yearend – e.n.) because I thought that the political class should mobilize. But my gesture was determined more by my feeling that the citizens of Moldova did not see light at the end of the tunnel. This statement wasn’t a euphoric one,” said Iurie Leanca. According to the minister, a delay of half a year was recorded in the process of liberalizing the visa regime owing to discussions that often deviated to unrelated themes. In the Western Balkan countries, this process lasted for a year to 18 months. The talks on the liberalization of the visa regime were opened in June 2010, while the Action Plan on Visa liberalization was presented to Moldova last January. Iurie Leanca said earlier that he will resign if Moldova does not obtain a liberalized visa regime by the end of 2012.