“The Republic of Moldova cannot be treated together with countries that are lagging behind, like Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. That’s why, on behalf of the European Parliament we call on the European Commission to create a special unit dedicated to the Republic of Moldova in the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, which would reflect the new status that Moldova has, as an EU candidate country,” Romanian MEP Siegfried Mureșan, co-president of the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee, stated in a news conference in Brussels, IPN reports.
Siegfried Mureșan noted that the Republic of Moldova and the European Union cooperate closer than ever and Moldova clearly expressed its interest to join the EU. The meeting of the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee will also discuss the economy and the financial support for the Republic of Moldova. As a MEP responsible for macro-financial assistance in the Budgets Committee of the European Parliament, next Tuesday he will propose granting €145 million in macro-financial assistance to Moldova. The objective is to adopt this proposal fast by this May so that the money can reach the Republic of Moldova over the course of this year, when it’s needed.
The official said that the Republic of Moldova’s security is very important for the EU. “We follow the situation in Moldova. We are aware of the progress made by the Moldovan authorities towards European integration and we are also aware of the permanent attempts to destabilize and provoke things in the Republic of Moldova. The European Parliament follows closely these developments. We know that the security risks for the Republic of Moldova and the EU member states are the same. We also know that to live in safety and stability within the borders of the European Union, we need to have stable and safe countries in our immediate vicinity. The security of the Republic of Moldova is in the basic interest of the European Union. We will cooperate to strengthen security on the eastern border of the EU, including in Moldova,” stated Siegfried Mureșan.
Deputy Speaker of Moldova’s Parliament Mihail Popșoi, co-president of the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee, enumerated the challenges faced by the Republic of Moldova, including the post-COVID adjustment, the war in Ukraine, the hybrid war waged by the Russian Federation, the destabilization attempts made by fugitive oligarchs who contribute to Russia’s attacks on Moldova. He noted that the Moldovan authorities and the state institutions do their utmost not only to maintain stability in the Republic of Moldova, but to also continue the ambitious reform program.
The 13th meeting of the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee is housed by the European Parliament today, March 23.
