VIDEO // Deputy PM Deputy at PACE rostrum says Moldova's membership in Council of Europe, EU candidate country status provide state with tools needed to bring it into great European family

Belonging to the Council of Europe and having the status of candidate country to the European Union provide us with the tools needed to bring the country into the great European family. Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popsoi has made statements to this effect.  As president of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, he gave a speech in the plenum of the spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), held in Strasbourg.

The speech marks the final address of Moldova to the PACE forum, in the context of holding the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (CoE).

Mihai Popsoi reviewed the key priorities of the Presidency and the main results achieved during the mandate. Among them, there are the adoption of the Chisinau Declaration on strengthening social rights, as well as the commitments made by member states to expand social protection in Europe. The deputy PM also highlighted the adoption of the Recommendation on accountability for combating technology-facilitated violence against women and girls.

“From the PACE rostrum, I conveyed a clear message: our membership in the CoE and our status as an EU candidate country provide us with the tools needed to bring our country into the great family of the European Union,” said Mihai Popsoi.

The deputy prime minister referred to promoting the active involvement of young people in the decision-making process, as confirmed by the adoption of a Recommendation on the new European Charter on the Participation of Young People in Local and Regional Life. He also emphasized initiatives in the field of education and media literacy, including efforts to strengthen the protection of journalists and the integrity of the information space.

In the context, Mihai Popsoi reaffirmed his commitment to the values of the Council of Europe and emphasized that Moldova’s membership in the organization stayed an important pillar of its European path.

“Today, as a country candidate to the European Union, this perspective is stronger than ever. We are determined to move forward in aligning with European standards, as well as to contribute to defining them,” the official said.

The minister stressed the importance of implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and respecting them for the credibility of the Convention system. He also referred to the progress made, including the increase in the number of cases resolved, as well as the need for continued efforts by member states to ensure the full implementation of the Court’s decisions.

The Moldovan diplomacy head also spoke about the role of the New Democratic Pact for Europe in strengthening democratic stability, resilience and security, which requires concrete action at the European level. A distinct topic was the fight against foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), considered a direct threat to democracy. The official also underlined the importance of cooperation in a multilateral system and the collective responsibility of states to contribute to the defense of common values for the benefit of citizens.

“Multilateralism remains our strongest tool for defending democracy, protecting human rights and ensuring the maintenance of a rules-based international order,” concluded Mihai Popsoi.

The deputy PM reiterated his firm support for Ukraine and the importance of the quick entry into force of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Claims Commission, as a compensation mechanism for the victims of Russia’s aggression. The official urged the signatory states to accelerate ratification. At the same time, he highlighted support for the creation of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, in which Moldova has assumed the role of founding state together with other states and encouraged the broadest possible participation of member countries.

“There can be no democracy without justice, no justice without the rule of law and no lasting peace without accountability,” stated Mihai Popsoi from the PACE rostrum.

In the context of the conclusion of Moldova’s mandate to the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers, Mihai Popsoi highlighted the importance of the Ministerial Session of the Council of Europe, which will take place in Chisinau on May 14-15. Delegations from the 46 member states and five observer states are expected to attend the meeting.

Moldova assumed the Presidency of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on November 14, 2025. The mandate will be exercised until May 15, 2026.