Europe Day in Ungheni // President: EU membership - means to ensure peace, security, prosperity

European Commissioner Marta Kos,

Mr. Mayor,

Dear residents of Ungheni and guests,

I am glad to be here with you today in Ungheni to celebrate Europe Day together.

This year we mark 80 years since the end of the World War II – a tragedy that claimed tens of millions of lives and left a continent in ruins. From that pain, Europe decided to be reborn. To leave behind hatred and revenge, and to build a common construction – the European Union – as a project of peace and cooperation.

For us, the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, this day carries special significance. It is the day we commemorate the sacrifice of our forebears and reaffirm our direction: the European path of peace and prosperity.

In Ungheni, a city on the border of the European Union, this European dream is perhaps more tangible than in other places in the country. Here, at the gates of Europe, we see concretely what modern infrastructure, functional institutions, quality public services, better schools, opportunities for youth and families mean.

Today, in Ungheni, we are also celebrating Family Festival – a beautiful symbol of unity, hope and future. The family is where we learn to care for each other, to be supportive, to build together. European Moldova we are building must be, above all, a country where families live in safety, prosperity and confidence in tomorrow.

Our path to Europe is the path to a better life for all of us. It is the path to a safer, freer, more developed Moldova. We know this path is not an easy one. It is a path of courageous decisions, tireless work, hope, and justice that our people have long awaited.

In recent years, we have shown together that we are capable of making important steps forward. We have achieved candidate status for accession to the European Union. We have begun the process of aligning with European standards and launched reforms in various fields. And most importantly, we have shown that we are determined to continue, to work at an intense pace, regardless of obstacles.

Today, on Europe Day, I want to thank all those who, through their work and commitment, make the European goal of the Republic of Moldova a reality. I want to thank the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, who have chosen democracy, freedom, and the rule of law. I want to thank our European partners, who support and encourage us.

Dear citizens,

Accession to the European Union is not an end in itself. It is a means to ensure peace, security and prosperity of our people. 

On this day, we not only celebrate European values but also commit ourselves once again to making them a reality here at home. Every European project implemented in Ungheni and throughout the country – whether it be in infrastructure, education, health or culture – is living proof of the benefits of our closeness to the European Union. Each such project brings Europe closer, brings change, brings hope.

In the face of regional challenges, of the brutal and unjust war waged by Russia against Ukraine, our European path is more important than ever. It is the path that protects us, that strengthens us, that anchors us in a community of free and peaceful states. 

In these challenging times, the European path becomes more than a political choice. It becomes a moral choice. A choice between fear and hope, between isolation and solidarity, between the past and the future.

When we are asked to choose again – in any form, in any context – we must think not only of the present but also of what we might lose. Of how easily the things we have worked together for years can unravel.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, we celebrate Europe Day here and look forward with confidence to the day when the Republic of Moldova will become a full-fledged member of the European Union with a well-deserved place at the European table.

I urge you to continue, together, with the same determination and belief, to work for this goal. The European future of the Republic of Moldova depends on all of us – on our unity and our work.