Moldova to join Energy Community Treaty soon

Moldova will join the Energy Community Treaty by the end of this year. It can happen on December 18 in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, where the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community will hold a meeting. The Moldovan authorities hope the Council will give its consent to Moldova becoming a fully-fledged member of the Energy Community, Info-Prim Neo reports. Commenting on the bill to join the Energy Community Treaty approved by the Government, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar voiced hope that the Parliament will adopt the bill in the near future and other internal procedures will be finished until the Zagreb meeting. Moldova has participated in the work of the Energy Community as an observer since 2006. On July 15, 2008, the Council of the European Union mandated the European Commission to open talks with Moldova over the joining of the Energy Community as a fully-fledged member. The talks closed on April 29, 2009. Moldova is to yet to take a number of obligatory measures. The Treaty will begin to apply in Moldova a year after it is joined. According to Valeriu Lazar, if Moldova becomes a fully-fledged member of the Energy Community, it will integrate into the regional energy market, will improve the energy security level and will attract investments into the area.