Vladimir Voronin: Moldova’s European integration is an irreversible process

The European integration of Moldova is a firm conviction of the Moldovan people that want a European future in a modern, prosperous and stable state, President Vladimir Voronin said at the tenth Meeting of the Moldova-EU Cooperation Council, held in Brussels on May 27, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We would like that the talks with the EU over a new agreement with Moldova start as soon as possible and that the European Commission’s mandate for talks is adopted until yearend 2008 so as to officially open the talks on the new accord,” Vladimir Voronin said, cited by the presidential press service. The plenary meeting assessed the recent developments in the relations between Moldova and the EU and set out new cooperation objectives. The participants exchanged opinions, especially on the implementation of the EU-Moldova Plan of Action and the results achieved. The European officials said that the Moldovan authorities should persevere with the implementation of reforms in such areas as justice, combating of corruption, insurance of the freedom of the media and with the improvement of the business climate. They reasserted that the European Union supports the confidence building measures between Chisinau and Tiraspol put forward by the head of state, voicing hope that the talks for settling the Transnistrian conflict in the 5+2 format will resume soon. The European Commission will back these measures, including by providing financial assistance, a communique from the presidential office says. The Secretary of State at the Slovenian Foreign Ministry Matiaj Sinkovac said he is glad that the tenth Meeting of the Moldova-EU Cooperation Council was held under the Slovenian EU Presidency and that the talks on a new agreement between Moldova and the European Union was launched while Slovenia is holding this Presidency. At the meeting, Moldova was represented by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Trade Igor Dodon, Minister of Justice Vitalie Parlog. The EU was represented by the Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, the Head of the Cooperation Council and of the EU Delegation, the EU Special Representative for Moldova Kalman Miszei, and the Deputy Director General of the European Commission's Directorate for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Hugues Mingarelli.