Romanian MEP Siegfrid Mureșan recommends the Moldovan authorities to prepare the Republic of Moldova’s application for EU membership. The official said that owing to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European community realized how important security in its immediate neighborhood is. Mureșan noted that even if there is a long way to accession, steps should start to be taken now, IPN reports.
The MEP said the European Parliament’s resolution by which the European Commission is recommended to examine Ukraine’s application for EU membership is a clear signal for the people of Ukraine that the country has European perspectives. The Republic of Moldova should follow the example of Ukraine and should make a similar approach.
“The application for accession should be compiled appropriately, but it should be submitted as soon as possible. The situation in the Eastern neighborhood of Ukraine changed fundamentally and the situation for the Republic of Moldova also changed. The people can live safely inside the European Union’s borders only if the countries in the immediate vicinity of the European Union are also safe, stable and there is peace. Defending immediate vicinity means defending the European Union. After the invasion of Ukraine, the people started to realize this. I tell my colleagues in the European Parliament that the Republic of Moldova for the European Union’s security is as important as Ukraine. That’s why what the European Union offers now should be offered also to the Republic of Moldova,” Siegfried Mureșan stated in the program “Secrets of the Power” on JurnalTV channel.
The official noted that the accession talks are long and thorny, but this should not discourage the Republic of Moldova from submitting an application to be granted candidate country status. The approaches should be started now.
“The European Union told Ukraine that it is welcome. We should also find an appropriate moment to tell this to the Republic of Moldova too. Ukraine already submitted the application and this is examined by the European Commission and Ukraine can obtain a candidate status and the accession talks will then start, chapter by chapter. The signal given yesterday by the European Parliament has a European perspective. If this question is put to the European Parliament by the Republic of Moldova, the answer will also be positive,” said Siegfried Mureșan.
Yesterday, the ruling party of Georgia “Georgian Dream” announced that their country will “immediately” file an application to join the EU. The party’s president Irakli Kobakhidze called on the European institutions to urgently examine the application and to grant Georgia the EU candidate status.
