Speech by President of the Republic of Moldova at joint press conference with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Dear High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Madam Vice-President of the European Commission,

Dear Kaja,

Welcome back to Chișinău – and especially today, on the eve of Europe Day.

Tomorrow, 9 May, reminds us where the European project started: with the decision of generations who chose, after the World War II, to build a community founded on the rule of law, cooperation, and respect for citizens.

It is a project that has brought peace and prosperity to a continent marked by years of war. We, the people of the Republic of Moldova, want to be part of this peace project, of this community of countries that respect each other, live in harmony, protect and help one another.

At today’s meeting we discussed the steps we are taking in this direction and how we maintain peace and security in Moldova and in our region.

To this end, we are working to modernize the state, strengthen institutions, and increase resilience. We continue to invest in energy security. We have diversified gas supplies, we are developing renewable energy generation capacities so that we produce more energy at home, depend less on imports, and thus be less vulnerable to external shocks.

In the field of justice, the evaluation of judges and prosecutors is advancing, and the first results are visible. In Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index we have climbed 25 positions over the last five years. We rank 31st in the press freedom index – the best score among candidate states for accession. This result comes in a context in which Moldova has faced the most intense wave of disinformation in its history.

Our experience shows that press freedom and combating disinformation are not contradictory objectives – on the contrary, they are two complementary dimensions of a healthy democracy.

The European Commission recognizes these advances. And they are all the more significant as they have been achieved despite serious security challenges. Russia’s war against Ukraine continues to affect our economy, our security, and our daily lives. Russian drones violate our airspace, endanger people’s lives, disrupt the functioning of the energy system, and have recently caused a major water supply crisis in several localities in our country.

Precisely in this context, the support of the European Union through the European Peace Facility is essential. The 190 million euros allocated to Moldova since 2021 mean equipment, transport vehicles, and a new radar that is to be installed in the coming months. The logistical vehicles already purchased were used during the Nistru river pollution crisis – to distribute drinking water to affected citizens. This is a concrete example of how defence equipment can have a dual use and can contribute to managing emergency situations in the civilian sphere.

Dear Kaja,

We thank you for your personal involvement in increasing the financial allocations for strengthening peace and security in our country. We count on the continuation of this support – in order to build an efficient defence system that will protect our citizens from present and future threats. With every investment in our security capacities, Moldova becomes a stronger partner – for the stability of the region, for the security of the European Union’s eastern border, and for the European project as a whole.

Moldova already contributes to regional security. Our soldiers participate in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Lebanon. Our firefighters intervene, together with colleagues from European countries, to extinguish large-scale fires. We are a friendly and reliable neighbour of Ukraine.

At the same time, we are experiencing Russia’s hybrid war first-hand. We know what disinformation, energy sabotage, economic pressure, and electoral interference look like. We share this experience with other countries facing these tactics.

That is precisely why Moldova’s accession to the European Union will be an act of strategic coherence for the entire Union. Because we are a stable democracy on the eastern border, with direct experience of hybrid warfare, with genuine reforms underway, and with the political will to be a reliable partner.

The Republic of Moldova remains firmly committed to the path of reforms and European integration. With the support of the European Union and its member states, and with the determination of our citizens, I am convinced that this path will bring results for all the people of our country: a stable, prosperous Moldova anchored in the European family.

Thank you!