Transnistrian conflict settlement in focus of meetings between Moldovan deputy PM, European officials

Chisinau, 20 July /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Oleg Serebrian, during his working visit to Brussels, has had a string of meetings at the headquarters of the European External Action Service, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) of the European Commission. Serebrian also participated in a meeting of EU’s Political and Security Committee (PSC), the Reintegration Policies Bureau has reported.        

During a discussion with Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Stefano Sannino, Oleg Serebrian analyzed in detail the situation in terms of the Transnistrian settlement process and the impact of the war in Ukraine on it. Deputy PM Oleg Serebrian highlighted the importance of the gradual enhancement of EU’s role in the settlement process, both in the political field and from the viewpoint of the European expertise in the topical sectoral files. Secretary General Stefano Sannino reiterated EU’s willingness to contribute to the consolidation of Moldova’s resilience before challenges, including through enhancing the cooperation in the defence sector. Additionally, the deputy PM discussed with Director General for Eastern Partnership and Central Asia of the European External Action Service Michael Siebert the dynamic in the present formats of negotiations and their perspective.    

The growth of EU’s role was considered also with Director for Eastern Neighbourhood at DG NEAR Lawrence Meredith. The sides appreciated the contribution brought by the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) during years to enhance the security at the Moldovan-Ukrainian border. The officials also emphasized the importance of allocating additional resources to strengthen the national authorities’ capacities in the management of the refugees’ crisis. While positively assessing the contribution of the confidence building measures backed by EU, Deputy PM Oleg Serebrian stressed the need to connect these measures to the Transnistrian conflict settlement process.   

The Moldovan official also took part in a meeting of the EU Council’s Political and Security Committee – a body in charge of coordinating the subjects of foreign and security policy of the EU member states. The deputy PM informed about the principal tendencies in the settlement process, confirming Moldova’s attachment to the peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, with the observance of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While answering more questions by representatives of EU member states, Oleg Serebrian said that, despite the high risks, the situation remained stable on site. The Moldovan deputy PM voiced hope that the settlement process could be fostered, and the EU was to have a more visible and influential role. He also highlighted the importance of more intensely monitoring the infringements in the human rights field in the Transnistrian region.           

Photo: Reintegration Policies Bureau