Brussels sends important message to countries moving forward with reforms

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov considers that the announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the preparation of roadmaps for candidate countries that are making the most progress in the accession process represents an important political signal for states implementing reforms. Gherasimov explained the messages conveyed by the official in the State of the Union address delivered on Wednesday in the European Parliament.


„We welcome the message from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen regarding the preparation of roadmaps for candidate countries that are advancing rapidly in the accession process. It is an important political signal showing that the efforts of countries delivering reforms are being recognized,” Cristina Gherasimov said.


The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the Republic of Moldova wants to be among the candidate states that will benefit from such an instrument. The European Commission has repeatedly acknowledged Moldova’s progress, Gherasimov emphasized.


„We hope our country will be among those receiving such a roadmap,” the official said.


According to Cristina Gherasimov, for the Republic of Moldova, such a roadmap could provide „greater clarity and predictability” and would enable the authorities to better focus their efforts and resources on achieving the objective of joining the European Union.



In her State of the Union Address, Ursula von der Leyen said that the European Union would soon propose roadmaps for the candidate countries that have made the most progress. The official emphasized that the enlargement process would continue to be based on merit and that respect for European values would remain a mandatory condition. In the same context, she mentioned the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine among the countries for which the European perspective remains important.

Cristina Gherasimov explained that such a roadmap would establish clear priorities, deadlines, and concrete results for implementing reforms, while providing a clearer picture of the next stages of the accession process.

„It does not predetermine the date of accession or the pace of negotiations, which remains linked to the progress and reforms achieved by each country,” the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

Ursula von der Leyen said in her State of the Union address delivered at the European Parliament that the Union must win back the „hearts of Europeans” and strengthen the sense of belonging to a broader European community. Ursula von der Leyen explicitly indicated the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, and the Western Balkan countries as examples of states close to the European Union for which the European idea remains alive.

The address conveys an important message for the Republic of Moldova, both regarding the acceleration of its accession path and the country’s security until it joins the EU. Experts Daniel Vodă (IPRE) and Andrei Curăraru (WatchDog) consider the speech evidence of the transformation of the European Union, which could open a new stage for candidate states advancing rapidly. According to Romanian political analyst Mihai Isac, accelerating the accession process also has an important geopolitical dimension.

The Republic of Moldova obtained EU candidate status in June 2022, and in June 2026 opened the first negotiating cluster, Fundamentals. In July, the European Union and the Republic of Moldova also opened negotiations on the cluster concerning external relations. The European Commission described these developments as important steps in Moldova’s accession process.

According to the European Commission, Moldova has made significant progress on its path toward European integration, while the EU–Moldova summit in June 2026 marked a new step in the accession process.