Foreign policy expert Lina Grau thinks that there are no technical impediments for Moldova to apply for EU membership at this year's Eastern Partnership Summit in Riga. “I know that our authorities announced after the Summit in Vilnius that they intended to apply for membership at the Summit in Riga. Considering that we have already signed and ratified the EU Association Agreement, I think there are no technical problems to do it”, Lina Grau told IPN.
The expert thinks that problems could arise if there is political instability in Moldova, which she hopes won't happen. “We've started 2015 without a Government and I think that this is bad for the internal situation in the country and also for its image abroad”, explained Grau.
If the application is accepted or not will depend on the responsibility shown by the government leaders, but the decision won't be taken immediately anyway. “It will be a test that will mark the beginning of a new stage. I think that the result will be announced in one or two years, after the EU will be convinced that reforms progress in Moldova, that the authorities are fighting corruption and that politicians have learned their lessons. I think that the EU hopes Moldova will remain the success story of the Eastern Partnership”, said Grau.
The analyst expects the Summit in Riga to fuel a serious debate within the EU about the future of the Eastern Partnership and whether the EP member countries have a prospect of joining the EU. “This will the topic of discussion before and during the event. I think that the EU countries will decide in principle if Moldova can have this prospect. Chisinau has been insisting on this for a long time”, stressed Lina Grau.
According to her, some forces within the EU think that such a promise of accession is important as it motivates countries to further implement reforms. However, there are also forces that oppose the idea and think that the EU is tired and needs time to “digest” the new members and, considering this, promising accession for other countries is difficult.
