VIDEO // Deputy Prime Minister: Moldova has made progress in all EU negotiation chapters. 25 of them have higher level of readiness for accession

The Republic of Moldova has made progress in all 33 negotiation chapters with the European Union, while in 25 of them the level of readiness for accession is higher than in the previous assessment. At the same time, the country no longer has any chapter at the early stage of preparedness, and 21 chapters have reached a moderate or higher level. The data was presented by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov at the Annual Conference on EU Enlargement and the 2026 Enlargement Package, taking place in Chișinău on November 9–10.

In her speech, Cristina Gherasimov said that the European Commission’s assessment confirms the results of the work carried out in recent years and marks a stage in which the accession process is gaining a clearer direction.


“The European Commission’s report confirms that the work carried out in recent years is producing results, and this year we made progress in every negotiation chapter and achieved a higher level of readiness for accession in 25 of the 33 chapters,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.


According to her, the European integration process has entered a new phase of work, in which the authorities already have four clusters opened and a roadmap outlining the possibility of closing 25 negotiation chapters in 2027.


“This year’s conference is taking place at a stage when the accession perspective is following a very, very clear course of work. We already have four clusters that have been opened and a roadmap that clearly identifies the possibility of closing 25 chapters as early as next year,” Cristina Gherasimov said.


The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the European Commission’s assessment must be analyzed through two distinct criteria: the country’s level of readiness for accession and the progress made over the past 12 months. She explained that the pace of reforms and the actual level of preparedness are not always the same thing.


“A sector may have a good pace of progress and reforms and still require a great deal of time to move to a more advanced or higher level of preparedness. That is why both criteria truly matter,” the official said.


Gherasimov also presented the evolution of the Republic of Moldova’s level of preparedness during the 2023–2026 period, since the European Commission began assessing the country according to the negotiation chapters. According to the data presented, during this period the number of chapters at early levels of preparedness decreased, while more and more chapters advanced to higher levels.


“We no longer have any chapter at the early stage of preparedness. In 2023, we had two chapters at a moderate level, while in 2026 we already have 12 chapters at a moderate level. Overall, we now have 21 chapters at a moderate or higher level of preparedness,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.


The official emphasized that European reforms should be viewed not only as the fulfillment of technical conditions, but also through the effects they will have on citizens’ lives. In her view, the concrete result of this process should be a justice system in which people can have confidence, institutions capable of protecting them, and better opportunities for employment and professional development in the Republic of Moldova.


“For citizens, the meaning of this effort is very concrete: to have a justice system that we can all trust, institutions that protect us, and better conditions to work and develop professionally here, at home,” Cristina Gherasimov said.


The Deputy Prime Minister said that the main question for the authorities is how the progress recognized by the European Commission will be transformed into concrete reforms, so that the Republic of Moldova can begin the stage of closing the accession negotiations.


“The question that should guide our discussions today and tomorrow is how we transform the progress recognized in this report, as well as the proposed recommendations, into the implementation of the reforms needed to begin closing the negotiations,” she said.


Cristina Gherasimov thanked the people in central and local public institutions, Parliament, civil society and the business community who contribute to the European integration process. She noted that much of this work is carried out by people who are not visible to the public.


“They are often invisible people whose names we do not know, but I always tell them that they are the true patriots of our country, working enormous hours so that we can truly make the most of this window of opportunity that history is offering the Republic of Moldova today,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.


The official also said that the Republic of Moldova must learn to recognize and celebrate the results achieved in the European integration process.


“We are not very good at enjoying the fruits of our efforts, and I very much hope that, at least on the date of accession, we will celebrate together,” Cristina Gherasimov said.




The Annual Conference on European Union Enlargement and the 2026 Enlargement Package is taking place in Chișinău on November 9–10 and brings together representatives of European and national institutions, public authorities, Parliament, civil society and the business community. The discussions focus on the progress made by the Republic of Moldova over the past year, the European Commission’s recommendations and priorities for the next stage of the accession negotiations.