Outcomes of visit by Speaker to Brussels: Moldova advances on European path

Speaker Igor Grosu paid a working visit to Brussels on 17–19 March, during which he held meetings with European officials and participated in events dedicated to supporting democracy.

At the start of the visit, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos announced the disbursement of the second instalment of the Growth Plan for the Republic of Moldova, amounting to 189 million euros. At the same time, technical negotiations were launched for the last three groups of chapters, marking new progress in the process of accession to the European Union.

"This is further proof that as a country, we are meeting our commitments and moving in the right direction. The funds will be directed to concrete projects that will improve the daily lives of our citizens: greater energy security, better public services, investments in the health system and in the development of our communities," he said.

In Brussels, Grosu and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola signed the renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two parliamentary institutions. The document aims to bring the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova closer to European Union standards. It provides for strengthening institutional capacities and supporting reform efforts, contributing to more efficient legislative and administrative activity.

"We have taken another important step on our European path. It is a partnership that helps us become better, more efficient and better prepared for the status of member state. We have trustworthy partners at our side and, together, we are building, step by step, Moldova’s European future," Grosu said.

The visit agenda included meetings with Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu and Nicolae Ștefănuță, Co-Chair of the EU–Republic of Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee Siegfried Mureșan, together with a group of Romanian MEPs – Eugen Tomac, Dan Barna, Cristian Terheș. In Brussels, Igor Grosu also held discussions with representatives of the main political groups in the European Parliament – Manfred Weber (European People’s Party), Iratxe García Pérez (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe), Bas Eickhout and Terry Reintke. The talks focused on the next stages of the accession process and on maintaining political support for the Republic of Moldova.

"I was glad to see broad support from all political groups for the Republic of Moldova and for our objective of becoming a member state of the European Union. Moldova is doing its homework, and the support of our European partners gives us confidence that we are on the right track," stressed Grosu.

Igor Grosu also met with his Belgian counterpart, Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives of the Kingdom of Belgium Peter De Roover, with whom he discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation and interparliamentary dialogue. During a high-level conference on democracy organized at the European Parliament, Grosu presented Moldova’s experience in organizing recent electoral processes and highlighted the importance of strengthening democratic institutions in the context of current challenges.

"The challenges we face today cannot be solved by any country alone. That is why the enlargement of the European Union should not be interpreted only as a technical process of chapter-by-chapter negotiations, but should be perceived as a strategic choice about Europe’s future. For Moldova, accession to the European Union means securing our democratic path and contributing to a stronger and more resilient Europe," stated Grosu.

At the end of the visit, Grosu took part in the event organized on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the European People’s Party.

The visit reconfirmed the support of European institutions for the European path of the Republic of Moldova and the commitment of the authorities in Chișinău to continue the reforms necessary for the European integration.