Moldova's EU bid: Political will is key
The opportunity that arose for our country in March 2022, when it submitted its application to join the European Union, won't remain open indefinitely, and political will after the upcoming elections will be crucial.
Such remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, during the "Pe față" (Face-to-Face) show on Moldova 1. In this context, the Deputy Prime Minister brought up recent developments in Georgia, which should be seen as a clear warning sign.
The Republic of Moldova and Georgia submitted their applications to join the European Union on the same day. However, in Georgia, there was a clear lack of political will to advance on the path of reforms, and the adoption of controversial laws, such as the one on "foreign influence," raised serious concerns among European partners. Consequently, the European Union suspended that country's integration process. "The opportunity that was created for us in March 2022 when we submitted our accession application, the same chance was offered to Georgia, because they also submitted their application. However, because there was no political will in Georgia and in the recent elections it was clearly stated that Georgia would re-evaluate its relations with the EU, we saw a freezing of relations between Georgia and the EU. This is a case that can also apply to our country if the new Parliament, after the elections, does not reflect the same interest in accelerating our European path," stated Cristina Gherasimov.
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that losing the accession opportunity shouldn't be a concern in itself, but the regional and internal context demands clear mobilization.
"Perhaps in an ordinary situation we wouldn't talk about risks, but we're talking about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, a train that is currently stationed at our station, but we don't know when the next one will come. If we don't succeed, in the next three to four years, with a very strong voice in Parliament and in Government, to accelerate our transformations as a country, we will lose this opportunity that is offered to us today," Cristina Gherasimov further stressed on Moldova 1.
Currently, the Republic of Moldova is in the bilateral screening phase. Accession negotiations could commence before the parliamentary elections.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
