President’s speech at joint press conference with European Commissioner for Enlargement

Dear Commissioner, dear Marta,

I am pleased to welcome you once again to Chișinău. Welcome back!

Today Moldova is hosting an important investment conference. We have seen significant commitments for Moldova’s economy – from private companies and from development banks. For us, this is the best proof that our European path is delivering results: investments, development, jobs.

The European Union’s Growth Plan is being transformed into roads, into energy generation capacities, into factories – into tangible benefits for people.

Investors are encouraged when they see a country moving decisively towards the European Union. A country that aligns itself with clear and fair rules – the European rules that any serious investor is looking for. And they choose to come early, so they can grow their businesses together with us. We earn this trust through work, every single day. We launch and carry forward reforms, including the difficult ones – the justice reform, which we will see through to the end, and now also the local public administration reform.

Today I discussed with the Commissioner the next steps in the accession process. The European Commission, the European Council and all Member States confirm that Moldova is ready to open accession negotiations, across all clusters of chapters.

I welcome the new steps taken by the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union to begin preparations for the official opening of the first cluster of chapters – for Moldova and for Ukraine. It is a sign of unity and determination.

We are ready for the next step.

Dear Marta, thank you once again. For your dedication, for your support and for your hard work at our side. For the confidence you have in us – and which you convey to all those who are coming today with concrete projects in Moldova, so that together we can build a European Moldova.

Thank you.