EU accession becomes reality

The decision to open the Republic of Moldova’s accession negotiations with the European Union for Cluster 1 – Fundamental Values represents a historic moment and turns the European integration process into a concrete reality for citizens. Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova Alexandru Munteanu made the statement after the Intergovernmental Conference Republic of Moldova – European Union held in Luxembourg.

The official thanked the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the EU and the European institutions for their support to the Republic of Moldova, stressing that citizens’ expectations are related not to the technical procedures of the negotiations, but to the country’s European future.

“In recent months I have travelled across the country and spoken with many people. Few of the discussions were about procedures or negotiation chapters, but almost all of them were about Europe. People hope that their future lies in Europe. That is why today’s decision matters so much to us,” said Alexandru Munteanu.

The Prime Minister underlined that the opening of negotiations for the Fundamental Values cluster marks the actual beginning of the accession process.

“The accession process becomes real. It has begun and is moving forward. It is an important signal that the Republic of Moldova is honouring its commitments, and that the European Union recognizes our achievements and rewards the progress made,” the official said.

According to him, although the Republic of Moldova was ready to open this group of chapters as early as last year, the waiting period was not wasted.

“We have accelerated reforms and technical negotiations. Together we have found ways to move forward, and citizens are already feeling the benefits of this joint effort,” the Prime Minister said.

Alexandru Munteanu listed among the results achieved Moldova’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), the country’s rapprochement with the European market, its integration into the European roaming area, the organization of the EU–Moldova investment conference and the attraction of investments worth over one billion euros, a substantial share coming from the private sector.

The Prime Minister highlighted the special importance of the Fundamental Values cluster, which underpins the entire accession process. “Democracy, the rule of law, fundamental rights, public administration and public finance management are the values we share with the citizens of the European Union and which Moldovans expect from state institutions,” he declared.

He noted that the reforms were carried out in a difficult context, marked by hybrid attacks and attempts at destabilization.

“We have been and remain the target of hybrid attacks. Despite these challenges, we have not abandoned our democratic and European course. We have strengthened the resilience of institutions, reinforced the security of electoral processes in the face of cyberattacks and external interference, and dismantled electoral corruption networks that were trying to buy votes,” said Munteanu.

The Prime Minister stressed that the authorities are continuing the fight against corruption and the process of justice reform, including through the external evaluation of judges and prosecutors.

“People’s trust in the justice system is gradually increasing. Those responsible for the banking fraud and the state capture are being held accountable, and high-level corruption cases are increasingly reaching the courts and ending in convictions,” he said.

At the same time, the head of the Cabinet of Ministers highlighted the reform of local public administration, which he said will contribute to the development of stronger communities and to improving public services provided to citizens. In his view, the transformations achieved over the last decade have profoundly changed the image of the Republic of Moldova.

“Ten years ago, the Republic of Moldova was considered a captured state. Today, the European Commission recognizes that we are one of the candidate countries that have achieved the fastest and most significant progress in democratic reforms. The country rating has reached its highest level in the last 25 years, and institutions are stronger and better prepared to protect their citizens,” Munteanu declared.

The Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg marked the official opening of the Republic of Moldova’s accession negotiations with the European Union for Cluster 1 – Fundamental Values, considered the foundation of the entire European integration process.

The opening of the Republic of Moldova’s accession negotiations with the European Union for Cluster 1 – Fundamental Values represents a formal recognition of the progress made by our country in the reform process. The statement was made by the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Marta Kos, after the Intergovernmental Conference Republic of Moldova – European Union, held in Luxembourg.

The European official described the moment as an important one for the European path of the Republic of Moldova and underlined that the decision adopted reflects the efforts made by the authorities in Chișinău in recent months.