Moldova's 2009 European Integration Agenda has been adopted

The National Commission for European Integration at its meeting on Tuesday, January 27, adopted the Integration Agenda for this year and outlined priorities in the relationship with the European Union for the period of the Czech presidency of the EU (January – June 2009), Info-Prim Neo reports. The 2009 Agenda, is for the most part, based on the same principles as the agenda for the previous year, the Commission's Secretary, Natalia Catrinescu, told the meeting. It rests on the same six pillars: ensuring respect for human rights and freedom of the press; combating corruption; ensuring independence of the judiciary; management of migration and border management; improving the investment climate; and measures to improve social policies. According to Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan, Moldova's priorities in the relationship with the European Union during the Czech presidency will include, in particular, preparations for talks on a new legal arrangement between Moldova and the EU, preparations for negotiations on a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, advancement towards easier visa procedures for the Moldovan nationals. “An equally important issue will be the liberalization of the visa regime for Moldova and we will seek from the European authorities that this component form part of the next political arrangement between Moldova and the EU. Another important component will be the continuation of cooperation with the EUBAM with a view to strengthening management of the Moldo-Ukrainian border, including along the Transnistrian portion”, said Andrei Stratan. As concerns the domestic part of the agenda, a priority will be to strengthen efforts in the field of democratic institutions, respect for human rights, prevention and combating of corruption, implementation of sanitary standards. Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin expressed his hope that 2009 “will be a fruitful year on the path to European integration”. “We expect that in the spring we will start negotiations with the European Commission on a new cooperation agreement with the EU. We all wish that it is an association agreement to the EU. We will continue to promote a dialogue as dynamic as possible with the EU, therefore I believe the association agreement should correspond to the level of our relations with the EU as well as to the aspiration of our entire society”, declared Voronin. The head of state explained to the journalists attending that the expectations of the authorities rest on the belief that Moldova has shown progress in implementing its three-year Action Plan. “All our intentions have been achieved. At the same time, the Moldovan authorities have developed normal relations with the European institutions, very good relations of confidence and cooperation”, he said. In the context of the upcoming parliamentary elections, Voronin urged the National Commission for European Integration to focus on their targets for 2009, “without paying attention to the multitude of political statements usually made in the election campaign”. The next meeting of the National Commission for European Integration is scheduled for February 24.