Pierre Lellouche: Next year is crucial for Moldova

The next year is crucial for Moldova. The political class must overcome the personal interests and reach an agreement. The statements were made by Pierre Lellouche, Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Foreign Ministry of France, Info-Prim Neo reports. During a news conference on November 12, the official said that the financial assistance offered by the European Union to Moldova under the European neighborhood program is one of the largest. Speaking about the other loans and donations promised to Moldova, he stressed that despite the economic and financial crisis, the international community found about US$1.5 billion overall for Moldova. “Now the international community is expecting results. The ball is on the Moldovan field,” Lellouche said. He also said that France will continue to support Moldova in its efforts to join the EU and will actively engage in the negotiations on the liberalization of the visa regime. According to him, positive results could appear in several months, but everything depends on the steps that the authorities will take. Lellouche also said that France will back Moldova in the Transnistria conflict settlement process. “Moldova must regain its integrity,” he stressed.