MEPs welcome Moldova’s efforts
MEPs recognize the progress made by the former Soviet Republic of Moldova towards EU membership.
Bogdan Matei, 14.05.2025, 13:50
All military experts and political analysts say that the Republic of Moldova is Ukraine’s neighbor worst affected by the Russian invasion there. In solidarity with the authorities in Kyiv, who are trying to resist the invaders, and host to numerous Ukrainian refugees, Chişinău has become, in turn, a target for the Russians. All the elements of a hybrid war, such as false bomb alerts, cyber attacks, illegally financed protests, energy blackmail, are the challenges that the Internal Affairs system must face, declared the former interior minister in the pro-Western government, Ana Revenco. Pro-war propaganda, she added, incitement to hatred, disinformation, parts of the same hybrid war are intended to weaken the resilience of citizens. ‘There are already certainties that Russia is now using more and much more intensively the levers through which it tries to destabilize the situation in the Republic of Moldova, not without the support of fugitive oligarchs’ minister Revenco concluded. And everyone agrees that the republic would not have resisted this assault without the consistent support of neighboring Romania and the European Union, which Moldova aspires to join.
The European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) adopted a report on Tuesday that highlights ‘the steady progress made by the Republic of Moldova in EU accession-related reforms, despite significant internal and external challenges.’ A press release from the Commission members welcomed what they called Chişinău’s ‘exemplary commitment’ to moving forward on the path of EU integration and said that bilateral relations ‘have entered a new phase’. ‘Cooperation has intensified, alongside Chişinău’s sustained efforts to harmonize Moldovan legislation with the community acquis. The MEPs welcome the progress made by the Moldovan government and call on the European Commission to step up its support for it.
They also note that ‘both the constitutional referendum on European integration and the latest presidential election in the Republic of Moldova, which took place at the end of 2024, confirmed the support of the majority of citizens for EU accession and pro-European reforms. The report was adopted with 52 votes in favor, 11 against and 3 abstentions. The document will be put to a vote in the plenum of the European Parliament, most likely next month. Meanwhile, in Chişinău, President Maia Sandu says that the Republic of Moldova could conclude its accession negotiations with the European Union by December 2027 and that integration into the community bloc will depend on domestic political will, in particular on the next Parliament which will be elected in the autumn. (LS)
