The EU Council for Foreign Affairs published its conclusions on Moldova today. The document has 27 points indicating the progress and arrears of Moldova.
In document published today, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen political association and European integration of EU and Moldova through a close partnership based on Association Agreement, which entered into force in July 2017. The European officials reiterated that EU has remained committed to supporting progress in necessary reforms so that inhabitants of Moldova to be able to feel benefits of Association and Free Trade Agreement.
The Council’s members stressed that it has been crucial that reforms started in 2016 had to continue and be implemented and reiterated that the freedom of press and pluralism of opinions have been the basis of a democratic society, they urged the Moldovan authorities to focus on reforms that concern concentration of media ownership and guaranteeing press freedom and pluralism.
In view of parliamentary elections 2018, Council “regrets that the new electoral law does not include some key recommendations from the Venice Commission and OSCE/ODIHR.” In the statement, the Council members also pointed to the need to renew efforts to investigate the bank fraud.
“The conclusions of the Council of the European Union encourage us to continue reforms that we have undertaken in the European path of Moldova. We remain strongly committed to the needs of the people of Moldova and we assure our international partners that they have serious and realistic interlocutors in Chisinau, including in areas where the best might have been achieved. In personal terms, I welcome the EU commitment to Moldova and constant interest in development of Moldova, reconfirmed by officials in Brussels today,” wrote on his official website leader of PDM, Vlad Plahotniuc.
The EU Council’s decision was also welcomed by speaker Andrian Candu. “I think that our European partners recognize a substantial legislative effort within recent two years in Moldova, while also outlining key perspectives in Moldova’s relationship with EU. We made difficult moves, setting our goal to stabilize and modernize Moldova. Looking at the previous conclusions, it is clear that Moldova has gone on a European road as concrete as possible, and progress we have made is a major one. The EU issued recommendations and directions for essential development, on basis of which, as legislators, we will continue to deliver positive results for citizens,” wrote Candu.
