EU Commissioner for Enlargement says justice reforms, anti-corruption efforts stay essential for Moldova’s progress in EU accession negotiations

The rule of law reforms and the fight against corruption stay fundamental priorities for Moldova in its process of joining the European Union, while the authorities must explain to citizens both the benefits of European integration and the difficulties that may arise along the way. European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has made statements to this effect in an interview given with Moldova 1 TV station.

The European official emphasized that progress in the accession negotiations must be accompanied by concrete results in justice reform and the fight against corruption, areas that form the foundation of the European integration process.

“The fundamentals remain essential. We are talking about fighting corruption and reforming the justice system. The parliament must deliver results and people must understand the transformations the country is undergoing. It is important to explain to citizens that there may also be obstacles along this path, but all these changes must be reflected in an improved standard of living, better schools, roads and modern infrastructure,” Marta Kos said.

In the context, Moldova might provisionally close negotiations on 25 of the 33 EU accession chapters by the end of 2027. The goal is realistic, but it depends on the pace of reforms and the authorities’ ability to implement their commitments.

According to the European Commissioner, the European Commission has presented an indicative roadmap providing for the provisional closure of two-thirds of the negotiation chapters by the end of next year. Marta Kos stressed that Moldova can achieve this objective, if the government, parliament and the society as a whole continued to support the reform process.

“It is realistic for Moldova to provisionally close 25 of the 33 chapters by the end of 2027, if the government, parliament and the country manage to deliver the necessary results. By the end of 2027, Moldova might reach the level Montenegro is at today, which is just one month away from closing all negotiation chapters. This would be very significant progress,” Marta Kos said.

The European Commissioner noted that the next chapters concern areas with a direct impact on citizens’ lives, such as consumers’ protection, agriculture, transport, taxation, the environment, access to drinking water, sewage systems and waste management.

Marta Kos said that the provisional closure of each chapter required the agreement of all 27 EU member states. In the context, the European Commission has the task of informing and convincing the member states that Moldova meets the necessary conditions to advance in the accession process.

The official also said that the assessment of the interim rule-of-law criteria was under way, after the Moldovan authorities submitted the necessary documents to the European Commission. Meeting these criteria will allow progress toward the provisional closure of the negotiation chapters.

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos visited Chisinau on November 9–10, where she attended the opening of the annual conference on European Union enlargement, an event that brought together more than 760 participants and over 60 speakers.

The European official’s agenda also included other meetings and events dedicated to Moldova’s European path, cooperation with the European Union and strengthening energy security, including the high-voltage power line project that will connect Moldova to the European electricity transmission network.