The recommendation to open accession negotiations means that the Republic of Moldova’s future is in the EU and that Russia’s influence in the region has diminished, MEP Siegfried Mureșan said, referring to the European Commission’s recommendation. According to him, this is good news for Moldova and for all the citizens of the European Union, IPN reports.

“The safety and stability in the EU depend on how safe, stable and better integrated into Europe the countries in our neighborhood are. Consequently, a greater European integration of Moldova and also of Ukraine makes us all stronger and safer,” stated Siegfried Mureșan.

According to the official, today’s announcement confirms that the Republic of Moldova’s future is in the EU and that Russia’s influence in the region has decreased. This is the merit primarily of President Maia Sandu and the pro-European administration in Chisinau, which rejected all the forms of pressure on the part of Russia over the past two years and placed the country on a clear path of reforms and European integration.

“Following today’s positive appraisal of the Commission, a final decision should be taken by the European Council in December. We, the European Parliament, were the first European institution that asked to open the accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova this year. The Parliament’s clear position is now followed by the European Commission’s appraisal. That’s why I ask the European Council to take a natural decision next month and to confirm the opening of negotiations,” stated Siegfried Mureșan.

According to him, a favorable final vote in December should be followed swiftly by the first EU-Moldova intergovernmental negotiation conference. “It is important that this first conference is held at the beginning of next year, before the European Parliament elections as the European Union in the second half of the year will be busy with the institutional reconfiguration following the European Parliament elections. An intergovernmental conference at the start of the year could take the first important decisions so that the negotiations advance at technical level in the second half of the year,” stated the MEP.

On November 8, the European Commission recommended opening accession negotiations with Moldova. A final decision on the opening of negotiations with Moldova will be taken by the member states at the December 14-15 meeting of the European Council.