Visa liberalization represents a concrete benefit for all the citizens of Moldova, noted Iulian Groza, director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, on the tenth anniversary of the landmark decision. According to Iulian Groza, the candidate status will provide Moldova with further benefits.
Ten years ago on April 28, Moldova was granted visa-free access to the European Union. According to IPRE director Iulian Groza, visa-free travel has opened up new opportunities for Moldovans, offering them greater possibilities to explore the cultural diversity of Europe, visit relatives and friends in the EU member states and develop their knowledge and skills by participating in European programs.
“The biggest benefit that we Modovan citizens have had in recent years is that we have the right to travel freely, without visas, in the European space. It’s a feeling of normalcy. The fact that today we have the opportunity to go to any European country we want, be it for tourism purposes, grow our business, pursue education, or develop joint programs, all these things happen thanks to the fact that there is no visa obstacle. Many of us have forgotten what it means to get a visa, all that wasted time. In the years leading up to visa liberalization, there were many who took advantage of this vulnerability, there were many cases where visas were sold. The fact that today we can travel freely in the European space is a concrete benefit for every citizen”, said Iulian Groza during a program on Radio Moldova.
The IPRE director added that the proximity to the European Union offers other advantages that can be felt by every citizen.
“In June we will celebrate another important moment, ten years since the Association Agreement was signed. It gave us a strong advantage because it economically integrated us into the EU, without being EU members, something that today benefits our producers who have chosen the European market as a stable market. And vice versa, Moldova opened up to the European market, we got more diversity, better quality, and our producers started to connect to European quality standards, they became more competitive. Our relationship with the EU has entered a new phase, we are a candidate country for accession. Beyond the whole negotiation process, which is very complex, we already have new intermediate results. For example, beginning on January 1, when we go to the European Union, we can make phone calls at much lower prices, we have a reduced roaming regime. The NBM has already signed an agreement with the European Commission and European financial institutions to prepare the connection to the European payment system, which will mean bank fee-free transfers between European countries and Moldova”, said Groza.
Moldova was granted visa-free access to the European Union on 28 April 2014. Over these ten years, 2,156,882 Moldovans travelled visa-free to the Schengen area, making a total 31,248,082 trips, or 15 trips on average. The liberalized regime is estimated to have saved Moldovans at least 270 million euros in visa fees.
