EU Ambassador to Moldova says justice reform, fight against corruption remain priorities on country’s European path

Justice reform and the fight against corruption remain key areas in Moldova’s process of accession to the European Union. EU Ambassador to Moldova Iwona Piórko has made statements to this effect at the ‘’Punctul pe Azi’’programme on TVR Moldova. She said that these reforms represent the foundation on which all other areas were based.

“We call these areas fundamental and they represent a very important cluster in the negotiation process, which is opened first and closed last,” the diplomat said.

According to the ambassador, the external evaluation process for judges and prosecutors, known as vetting, has made progress, but is still ongoing. At the same time, Iwona Piórko emphasized the importance of strengthening independent institutions in the justice sector and addressing high-level corruption cases.

Iwona Piórko noted that justice reforms and anti-corruption efforts are not imposed by Brussels, but respond to the expectations of Moldova’s citizens.

“Reforms in the justice sector and efforts to combat corruption are not processes that come from Brussels. They are demanded by the citizens of Moldova, when they chose Europe and democracy,” the ambassador said.

Referring to the duration of the reform and possible delays, the diplomat said that changing a system takes time, while the authorities must find a balance between the quality of the reforms and compliance with the ambitious accession timetable.

“It is important that the reform be carried out well, as you wanted, and it is important that it also be completed within a reasonable period of time,” Iwona Piórko emphasized.

Asked whether justice reform risks becoming the main obstacle in Moldova’s accession negotiations, the ambassador said that she did not consider this sector to be at risk of failure.

Iwona Piórko reiterated that justice reform remained one of the most important stages of Moldova’s European path, and that its implementation must ensure real and lasting changes.

On October 13, 2026, during the meeting of the General Affairs Council of the European Union held in Luxembourg, Moldova officially opened two more negotiation clusters for EU accession: Cluster 2 – Internal Market and Cluster 3 – Competitiveness and Inclusive Growth. In the summer of 2026, Moldova opened the first two negotiation clusters: Cluster 1 – Fundamentals and Cluster 6 – External Relations, which cover essential areas for advancing the process of accession to the European Union.

Moldova might open all six negotiation clusters with the European Union by the end of 2026. The statement was made by EU Ambassador to Moldova Iwona Piórko during the ‘’Punctul de Azi’’ programme on TVR Moldova.