Moldova, European Union cooperate more closely than ever, say co-presidents of Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee

Chisinau, 22 March /MOLDPRES/ - Moldova and EU cooperate with more closely than ever and the European Parliament must give Chisinau a clear-cut message of starting the negotiations on accession. The co-presidents of the Moldova-European Union Parliamentary Association Committee, Mihail Popsoi and Siegfried Muresan, today made statements to this effect in Brussels.       

The European MP said that the 23 March meeting of the Moldova-European Union Parliamentary Association Committee had the goal to consolidate the relation between Moldova and EU.  

“We meet in Brussels, in order to express the support for Moldova. We keep an eye on the situation in Moldova. We know all advancements made by the Moldovan authorities to the European integration. We are also aware of the permanent attempts to destabilize and provoke the things in Moldova. The European Parliament keeps a close eye on these developments. We know that the security risks for Moldova and for EU member states are common. We also know that, to live in safety and stability within the European Union’s borders, stable and safe countries must be in our neighbourhood. For this reason, Moldova’s security is in EU’s fundamental interest. We will cooperate to consolidate the security at the EU’s eastern border, including in Moldova,’’ Muresan noted.          

Siegfried Muresan also said that, following the meeting, he would suggest that the European Commission provides Moldova more support and technical assistance for the reforms’ implementation. ‘’And immediately after these reforms are implemented, we must give Moldova the perspective of the next steps, which I think should be the starting of the negotiations on accession as soon as possible. Immediately after those nine recommendations, proposed by the European Commission to the Moldovan government last year, are fulfilled. Also, sanctions should be imposed against the Moldovan oligarchs who destabilize the situation in Moldova. They pose a risk for the Moldovan people and for EU. At the same time, Moldova must know that it can rely on the European markets now and ever. We will launch a security hub in Moldova. We should make sure that the member states and the Commission cooperate with the Moldovan authorities, so that we make sure that this security hub works. We call on the European Commission to create a General Department for the neighboiurhood – a special unit dedicated specially to Moldova, which is to reflect the new status of country candidate,’’ Muresan added.       

Mihail Popsoi reviewed the Moldovan authorities’ achievements in the process of implementation of EU’s recommendations and referred to the pressures they were facing. ‘’We can hope that this year the European Union will support our efforts, especially as regards the starting of the negotiations on accession. Despite the sabotages we see in Chisinau, we have a robust majority in parliament and a clear idea of what we have to do and we enjoy the support of our friends from the European Union both at the bilateral and at the multilateral levels. This will allow us go further with the important reforms. We committed to strengthen the democracy in Moldova, to provide to the citizens the rules and values of the democracy, which they voted. I thank the European Union member states, European tax payers for their generosity, for the way they help the people of Moldova cope with these difficult times. Our parliament, our state will continue carrying out these objectives, for which we were elected by our citizens, with the European integration being a particularly important goal,’’ Popsoi noted.         

The 13th meeting of the Moldova-European Union Parliamentary Association Committee (CPA RM-UE) will be held at the headquarters of the European Parliament on 23 March. The Moldovan parliament’s delegation is made up of CPA RM-UE co-president Mihail Popsoi, MPs, CPA RM-UE members Olesea Stamate and Ina Coseru.