Messages of support from Brussels

A parliamentary delegation of the Republic of Moldova was in Brussels on 1–3 June on a study visit to the European Parliament. The topics addressed focused on the progress made by the Republic of Moldova in the process of European integration, as well as ways to strengthen cooperation between the two legislative institutions.

The MPs held meetings with the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament, Nicu Ștefănuță and Victor Negrescu, as well as with MEPs Siegfried Mureșan and Maria Grapini. The European officials reiterated the support of the majority of Members of the European Parliament for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union.

“Our country has made significant progress in recent years. It is now up to us to maintain the pace of reforms and make the most of this opportunity. Romania’s experience shows that the opening of accession negotiations means more than just a political decision. It brings more confidence, investment, and economic growth. The citizens of the Republic of Moldova must feel the direct benefits of the progress our country has made,” said Deputy Speaker Doina Gherman.

For his part, Deputy Speaker Vlad Batrîncea emphasized that European integration must take into account the national interests of the Republic of Moldova, highlighting the need for genuine and permanent dialogue with the opposition and civil society.

“The opposition represents an important part of the country’s citizens, and our voice must be heard and taken into consideration in all processes and projects concerning the future of the Republic of Moldova. Reforms can succeed only if they are built through broad consultations, dialogue, and respect for the national interest,” Vlad Batrîncea stressed.

The study visit agenda also included meetings with representatives of the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and the Council of the European Union. The discussions focused on ongoing reforms, the accession process, and the strengthening of democratic institutions.

“The accession process is both technical and political. At the technical level, we have very good teams in the working groups for the chapters (we have already held hearings in Parliament on 29 of the 33 negotiating chapters), and we have experts assisting the Government of the Republic of Moldova and Parliament. At the political level, we have a favourable national and European context, which in European slang is called a ‘window of opportunity’. A window through which a brighter and safer future for the Republic of Moldova can be seen,” noted Marcel Spatari, Chair of the European Integration Committee.

The visit was organized following the recent signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and the European Parliament. Its objective is to strengthen relations between the two institutions in the context of the accession process to the European Union and to deepen cooperation in the field of democracy support. The parliamentary delegation consisted of Deputy Speakers Doina Gherman and Vlad Batrîncea, together with the leadership of the 12 standing parliamentary committees: Veronica Roșca, Chair of the legal committee on rules and immunities; Radu Marian, Chair of the economy, budget and finance committee; Marcel Spatari, Chair of the European Integration Committee; Grigore Novac, Chair of the Human Rights and Interethnic Relations Committee; Liliana Iaconi, Chair of the Public Administration and Regional Development Committee; Serghei Ivanov, Chair of the Agriculture and Food Industry Committee; Adrian Belîi, Chair of the Social Protection, Health and Family Committee; Valeriu Muduc, Chair of the Environment, Climate and Green Transition Committee; Adrian Lebedinskii, Chair of the Public Finance Control Committee; Andrian Cheptonar, Deputy Chair of the National Security, Defence and Public Order Committee; Virgiliu Pâslariuc, Deputy Chair of the Education, Culture, Research, Youth, Sports and Media Committee; and Ion Groza, Secretary of the Foreign Policy Committee.