Moldovan mayors visit Brussels for EU talks
Moldovan mayors are on a two-day visit to Brussels after being invited by European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos.
Their schedule includes meetings with EU institutions and organizations that represent the voice of local authorities in member and partner states, as well as discussions on community policies for local development.
The 27 Moldovan mayors arrived in Brussels on Sunday evening to begin a two-day working visit with a meeting at the European Committee of the Regions, a body bringing together local and regional authorities from across the EU. This will be followed by a visit to the European Bureau of Municipalities.
During their two-day visit, the mayors will have the opportunity to engage with stakeholders from EU institutions, share their priorities for the communities they represent, and learn more about the Union's work in supporting local development. The visit will also give the mayors a chance to discuss their vision for Moldova’s future as a candidate for EU membership.
The official part of the first day will conclude with a meeting at the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA), a French organisation that promotes good governance and citizen participation at local level both inside and outside the EU.
On the second day, the Moldovan mayors will meet with Claire Roumet, Executive Director of the Covenant of Mayors, an organisation within ALDA. They will then participate in the Council of European Municipalities and Regions, which is the first and largest association of local-level administrations in 41 European countries.
The mayors' visit will continue with a meeting with Amandine Sabourin of the European Centre for Development Policy Management. They will then meet with Gert Jan Koopman, Head of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Enlargement, and finally with Marta Kos, who invited them to Brussels. She will discuss their visit, Moldova's European agenda, and local concerns regarding European policies.
Regional and local development are key priorities for the EU, Ms Kos said in the invitations addressed to the Moldovan mayors. She also said their opinions on how the Union can become even more effective in supporting local communities are extremely valuable.
The visit follows a trip by European Commissioner Marta Kos to Moldova between May 8 and 12, 2025, when she was accompanied by a delegation of MEPs and other European Commission officials to mark Europe Day. During her four-day visit, Ms Kos toured several regions. In Ungheni, she inaugurated the "European Village," an event dedicated to EU-funded projects that bring tangible benefits to local communities. She also met local agri-food producers and entrepreneurs in Rădenii Vechi.
From May 10 to 11, the regional visits continued in Orhei, Negureni, Edineț, Bălți, Comrat, Cahul, and Văleni, where Ms Kos interacted with young people, teachers, local authorities and entrepreneurs. EU-supported projects were also inaugurated, including educational centres, markets for local producers and agri-food hubs, as well as tourism initiatives awarded by the United Nations.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
