“The development of the Republic of Moldova, equally beneficial to all its people, is an objective that is fully supported in Bucharest, Paris and Brussels. We are convinced that only the credible deepening of reforms, alongside the gradual and balanced implementation of the Association Agreement… can lead to the achievement of this goal…”. This viewpoint forms part of a common message formulated by the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Lazar Comanescu and Minister of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development of France Harlem Désir before their joint visit to Chisinau scheduled for June 16, 2016. IPN publishes the whole message below.
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“Almost two years ago, on June 27, 2014, the Republic of Moldova signed the Association Agreement with the European Union. This event crowned the efforts and first successes of the country on the path to reforms and rapprochement with Europe. It was also a source of big hope and ambitious projects for the future. The expectations of the people who supported the European project were many in number, while the responsibilities of the authorities in charge of the implementation of the reforms stipulated by this Accord were, for their part, great.
The two years that passed since this event have been yet very tumultuous for Moldova. The hopes deriving from this Accord were affected by political controversy, social tensions and financial difficulties. Confronted by daily challenges, the phenomenon of corruption and political instability, the people lost confidence in the promises made to them. Today they wait for answers and, especially, for concrete actions.
This is how, paradoxically, the European integration idea lost from the initial impulse during the past two years.
In fact, the citizens of Moldova, as everywhere in Europe, aspire for a prosperous future in a state with the rule of law, free, democratic and free from corruption, which would offer equal chances to everyone. No other model than the European one meets best the legitimate European aspirations to strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions and to ensure economic development for everyone’s benefit. The remarkable development of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe during the last decades shows that those who followed this path achieved success. For its part, the Republic of Moldova chose to follow this model, signing the Association Agreement with the European Union.
Tomorrow, as the co-chairmen of the European Action Group for the Republic of Moldova, but especially as the friends of this country, we will make a common visit to Chisinau to remind of our hope to see the country firmly committed again on the path to success. The development of the Republic of Moldova, equally beneficial to all its people, is an objective that is fully supported in Bucharest, Paris and Brussels. We are convinced that only the credible deepening of reforms, alongside the gradual and balanced implementation of the Association Agreement, by observing the democratic principles, the basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, can lead to the achievement of this goal.
We are aware of the challenges faced in the implementation of the reforms needed by a country with the rule of law and with transparent and competitive economy. These reforms require courage for fundamentally changing the habits, for dealing with different interests, for fighting corruption. But there is no other better guarantee for ensuring long-term stability and prosperity.
The convincing, substantial and deeper reforms are the best answer that Chisinau can give to the common expectations of the people and the European partners of the Republic of Moldova. We welcome the measures that were already taken in this regard and strongly encourage the Government to continue on this path with greater determination. As sculptor Constantin Brancusi, who was a veritable bridge between the Romanian and French cultures, said: “It is not hard to do things. It is hard to make you do them”.