Moldova’s President Maia Sandu believes the Eastern Partnership should be adapted to reflect the new realities in the region, where strengthening security and economic growth are key priorities. The Eastern Partnership should become a platform that further supports the efforts of the member countries in the process of joining the European Union, she declared.
The statements were made during a discussion with a delegation of ambassadors for the Eastern Partnership led by Dirk Schuebel, special envoy of the European External Action Service (EEAS) for the Eastern Partnership, formerly head of the EU Delegation to Moldova (2009-2013).
Maia Sandu talked about the support offered by the EU member states in Moldova’s European integration effort and its reform agenda, and how the Eastern Partnership can continue to deliver tangible benefits to Moldovan citizens.
“Integration into the EU is our national project, for which all state institutions are working and which is supported by all citizens who want to live in peace, freedom and prosperity at home”, Maia Sandu said.
Nicu Popescu, Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, also received the 23 ambassadors for the Eastern Partnership. During the meeting, the officials discussed Moldova’s European course and the progress achieved in the implementation of the nine recommendations of the European Commission.
“In this context, we also spoke about the recent visit to Brussels, during which we handed over the contributions of the Republic of Moldova to the EU Enlargement Report for 2023. We also emphasized the firm commitment of the authorities to continue the implementation of the reform agenda, so as to launch EU accession negotiations in the near future. In this regard, we discussed ways of using the PaE instruments to support the European path of the Republic of Moldova”, Nicu Popescu was quoted in a press release.