The Moldovan authorities must adjust about 300 normative documents for fully implementing the provisions of the Association Agreement with the European Union. In a press club meeting, Deputy Minister of Economy Octavian Calmic said the Moldovan producers must meet the European standards, but they do not yet have the necessary equipment and money for investing in it, IPN reports.
“The Eastern market is less exacting as regards the quality, while the European consumers want to buy the packed products directly from producers. We are now working in this direction. We want to attract investments, but we also take out advantageous loans to develop the processing industry,” said the official.
Octavian Calmic also said more investors will come to Moldova when the Association Agreement is implemented. But this will not affect the Moldovan producers. The imported European products represent about 5% of the internal consumption. The imports from the East represent the greatest danger. 40% of the consumed products come through the Transnistrian region and from Ukraine. “Moldova imports about 50,000 tonnes of meat. The EU set an import quota of 5,000 tonnes. This is not much. The Moldovan producers want meat from the EU, which is of a higher quality, as they make sausages of a higher quality that are more expensive,” stated the deputy minister.
Octavian Calmac noted that the ordinary people will not feel changes immediately after the signing of the Association Agreement. The changes will appear gradually and will have a long-term effect.
In the same meeting, Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said that a lot of false information about the association with the EU is disseminated in Moldova and in other Eastern Partnership countries. The Moldovans will not lose their identity and traditions if they associate themselves with the EU. The EU’s motto is “United in diversity” and this means protection of all the national minorities and respect for their rights.
The Moldovans will not be imposed to practice Catholicism, as they say. Pirkka Tapiola said he embraces another religion, while his wife is a Catholic. “Not even in such conditions was I imposed to convert to Catholicism,” said the diplomat. He added that the EU pursues only one goal as regards Moldova – for the country to be stable. This means development of democracy.
According to the European official, it’s not right that the EU aims to interrupter the commercial relations between Moldova and Russia or the CIS states. The Association Agreement does not impinge on the country’s statehood and Chisinau will be able to negotiate commercial agreements with other states.
The EU supports the implementation of the Association Agreement financially as well. An investment conference will take place in Chisinau in two weeks. Over 100 investors from the EU and not only are expected to take part in it.
