It is a historic moment that lays the foundations of Moldova’s accession to the European Union, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, referring to the European Council’s decision to grant Moldova the EU candidate status. According to the official, this status offers the Republic of Moldova the opportunity to modernize itself and to meet the living standards of the European states in a predictable future. Nicu Popescu noted the new status turns Moldova into a predictable state for foreign investors that will want to start businesses here, IPN reports.
According to the official, the candidate country status means an intense reform process that the Republic of Moldova will need to cover the next few years. The fight against corruption, the justice sector reform, the reformation of the economy according to the European standards become the main objectives of the government.
“This means the Republic of Moldova has a future in the European Union. We now lay the foundations of the process that will take us to the European Union. It is a positive signal for the citizens who want to live in a more prosperous, more democratic country. It is a positive signal for investors that will feel safer when they take decisions related to investments. The accession process can last for a decade, but the candidate countries, together with the EU states, must modernize their states. Investments will be made in infrastructure, roads, hospitals so that the candidate countries meet the European standards,” Nicu Popescu stated in the talk show “Black Box” on TV8 channel.
According to the head of the Moldovan diplomatic service, Moldova will need to show perseverance and patience as the accession to the EU will not take place overnight. The meeting of the European standards is a long process that can last for decades.
“Our citizens saw how Romania changed. Since 1999, when Romania opened the accession negotiations, the roads, hospitals, salaries started to improve. Everything depends on the citizens’ wish to continue giving mandates to govern to the pro-European forces. My hope is that in about ten years, if society continues supporting the pro-European political forces, we could rather seriously speak about entry into the European Union,” stated Nicu Popescu.
European Council President Charles Michel announced the decision to grant Moldova and Ukraine the EU candidate status on June 23 at a summit in Brussels, calling it a historic moment. “Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU,” Michel said. “Our future is together.”
