The Eastern Partnership Summit that will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania, at the end of November, where the Association Agreement between Moldova and the EU is to be initialed, is a new stage for Moldova and provides a number of stakes both at internal and foreign levels. However, the population should not wait for immediate miracles after November 29, while the irreversibility of Moldova’s European integration will be marked by the signing and ratification of the Association Agreement with the EU. Such opinions were stated in the public debate “Stake of the Vilnius Summit as perceived by the Moldovan political class and society” that was organized by IPN.
The Agency’s director Valeriu Vasilica, who moderated the debate, said this topic was also addressed in the news items broadcast today by IPN, at the beginning of the campaign “Association with the EU to everyone’s understanding”. By the first reactions, society confirmed the importance of the theme and showed increased interest in it.
The head of the parliamentary group of the Liberal Democratic Party Valeriu Strelet said the Vilnius Summit marks the beginning of irreversibility. “It is a start, a rather important event, but in 2014 this start may be compromised. It depends on us if this beginning has continuity. We do not say that miracles will happen after the Vilnius Summit. The people will obtain prospects of a better life, not yet miracles,” stated the MP.
Democratic lawmaker Oleg Tulea said the European integration is a commitment made by the government coalitions in 2009. The Vilnius Summit is an important step that will give answers to a number of questions coming from inside and outside. “We recently returned from a trip. We got the impression that the European leaders attach importance to this summit and think about the events that will take place after it. For us, it is important that all the commitments be fulfilled. We have a tight agenda until the Vilnius Summit. We are concerned because these processes happen amid pressure exerted from inside and outside with the aim of preventing the Summit from being successful,” he stated.
MP Igor Dodon, chairman of the Party of Socialists, consider that the Vilnius Summit is a very important subject. “It is a large-scale event that forms the political and geopolitical agendas. The stake of the authorities is simple – after four years they must come with something. The European vector was greatly compromised by the Alliance for European Integration. Now they must come at least with a success and with a new promise. We consider that the Vilnius Summit is a good stage for showing that nothing changed. The second, external stake is that the Eastern Partnership needs a success. The foreign partners must show that Moldova is a success story,” he said.
Executive director of the Foreign Policy Association (APE), expert Victor Chirila believes that the Eastern Partnership is an opportunity that opened many ways to Moldova. “When we initial this agreement, we will start the signing procedures and it will become something inevitable. The Association Agreement is not an electoral parcel and it doesn’t put something in the pocket. It creates a cooperation, association framework that offers for the first time the possibility of integrating economically into the European market. It wouldn’t be easy. The Association Agreement, by the creation of the Free Trade Area, offers opportunities, but the competition will be stiff. The inefficient companies will face problems. The political association offers a degree of solidarity in front of external pressure. It will create a new political mentality and will impose a new way of thinking,” stated the expert.
Director of the Association for Participatory Democracy ADEPT, expert Igor Botan said the stake of the Vilnius Summit is Ukraine. “It will sign the Association Agreement with the EU and it is the great stake. Moldova is a supplement to this process. The modernization of Moldova is the second, internal stake. The new situation will force the political class to make efforts to modernize itself. The ratification and signing of the agreement will probably have a positive effect, if everyone makes a common effort,” he added.
The public debate “Stake of the Vilnius Summit as perceived by the Moldovan political class and society” is the 22nd of the series of debates “Development of political culture by public debates” that are staged with support from the German Foundation “Hanns Seidel”.
