Moldova did not stay to miss train for signing association agreement with EU, NGO

“The European Commission is a kind of bookkeeping office that works with very strict terms and when its conditions are not fulfilled, one is subject to political tests. The Government of Moldova moved forward and did not miss the train,” program director of the Foreign Policy Association Radu Vrabie said in debates that involved representatives of the press and centered on the future Association Agreement with the EU. According to the expert, the Government saw what should be done and started to work. The Transnistrian conflict and border security will represent hindrances in the talks on a visa-free regime with the EU. Corneliu Gurin, law expert of the Association for Participative Democracy (ADEPT), said only discussions are now held on the opening of the talks on signing a document that is neither an association nor an accession agreement. “It is just a legal document on partnership with the EU. It is hard to say how it will be named,” said the expert. The president of East Europe Foundation Moldova Sorin Mereacre contradicted Corneliu Gurin, saying it is an association agreement similar to that of Serbia. “A clause about cooperation with civil society is being drafted for the first time,” Sorin Mereacre said. According to him, the talks on such chapters as democracy and human contacts advanced, but no headway was made with the economic dimension of the future agreement. On the other hand, the experts complained that civil society does not have access to the draft documents discussed at the talks with the EU, saying they intend to raise this issue. The Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU was discussed in public debates organized by the National NGO Council. They were themed “The 5 O’clock Tea” and involved representatives of the press.