European Commissioner for Enlargement says process of Moldova's accession to EU proceeds at record speed

European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, at a news conference, has said that the process of Moldova's accession to the European Union was advancing at a record speed, while the support package valued at 1.9 billion euros would lead to the growth of the country's economy.

The European official praised Moldova's determination to implement the necessary reforms, even in the face of significant external challenges.

“About 1,000 people are working for Moldova in Brussels alone. So, soon we will be able to open several clusters. We are already analyzing cluster 2, the internal market, and cluster 6, external relations. This will be done by the end of March, so everything is going well,” said Kos.

She expressed confidence that the accession negotiations would be finished before her mandate expires.

“If Moldova does not manage to finish the EU accession negotiations by the end of my mandate, I will consider it a failure. I am confident that we will succeed in completing the technical part, and if you are as persistent as you are now, then we will manage to complete the negotiations by 2029,” Kos said.

The commissioner for enlargement also discussed the 1.9 billion euro support package. She noted that, if all reforms are well implemented, Moldova's economy would double by the end of this decade.

Kos reiterated that Moldovan authorities needed to present a clear reform agenda, and the funds will be allocated in semi-annual installments.

“For each new payment, Moldova will have to implement the reforms in the agenda step by step. And we will monitor what has been done and what hasn't. The funds will be provided twice a year,” Marta Kos also said.

Referring to the situation in Moldova's energy system, Kos specified the need of ensuring the country's energy independence.