Moldova was granted a liberalized visa regime with the EU not irreversibly. In an interview for Radio Free Europe on the occasion of one year since Moldova obtained this regime, Victoria Bucataru, program director at the Foreign Policy Association, said we were struck off the list of states that need visas, but can be put back on it. Moldova must show continuous commitment and this means improvement and adjustment of the national legislation to the EU’s, IPN reports.
According to the expert, illegal migration is one of the problems faced now by the European Union and the EU will definitely toughen up its migration policies. This could affect Moldova too. “Besides, we face a regional crisis in Ukraine, which can also have a particular impact on Moldova. Unlike the Balkan states that benefitted from a visa-free regime, Moldova had to carry out an analysis of the migration impact. According to its results, Moldova does not face a danger as regards migration to the EU, but the European Union can identity other dangers given the situation in the region,” she stated.
Victoria Bucataru does not believe that this privilege will be withdrawn soon, but this can happen if Moldova does not show commitment to the European course. “I refer to the commitment to continue to do reforms. Regretfully, the reforms are now stagnant. If the EU considers that Moldova is unable to ensure security and will simultaneously endanger its security and the security of the EU citizens, the visa-free regime will definitely be annulled,” she said.
The expert considers that Moldova must continue the reforms in the justice sector and in the area of corruption fighting and must ensure its security, both the information one and on its borders, as it was provided in the plan of action for liberalizing the visa regime.
Victoria Bucataru believes reforms must be done in the financial system because the EU contributed large sums of money for implementing these reforms and continues to contribute. If the financial security is not ensured, the relations between Moldova and the European Union will be affected and the EU could change its attitude to the country.
