Providing support to Moldova in advancing towards EU accession talks remains a key priority of Romania’s foreign policy, Romania’s new Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu said on her first trip to Moldova on Tuesday, ahead of the European Commission’s presentation on Moldova’s EU progress on Wednesday.
The Commission is set to present an “informal” assessment of Moldova’s progress in fulfilling nine of its proposed recommendations.
On Tuesday. Romania’s new foreign minister reiterated support for Moldova’s accession, pointing to the “common effort to achieve our goal of opening accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova towards the end of the year.”
To help Moldova on its EU path, Romanian experts in European affairs from various ministries and other governmental institutions will be dispatched to help their colleagues in Chisinau, said Odobescu.
The two leaders also discussed training courses Romania would provide to Moldova’s public administration experts.
Regarding the Commission’s hoped-for recommendation to start accession talks in December, Odobescu and Popescu both praised Moldova’s progress so far.
Odobescu acknowledged the “excellent” efforts and progress made by the Moldovan authorities, particularly in the areas of judicial reforms and the fight against corruption, adding that “there are still some things to do”.
“We have received several signals and very positive assessments regarding Moldova’s implementation of the nine recommendations“, Popescu said, underscoring that the path to EU membership requires “deep structural reforms in practically every field”. “And, at this stage, we are all firmly engaged in this process”.
“We are working together, and we are actively promoting these results […] there are still some things to do, but the direction is very clear”, Odobescu said.
“Progress is going well, and with Romania’s support, we hope and count on the fact that Moldova will receive the recommendation to start EU accession negotiations by the end of this year”, said Popescu.
(Cătălina Mihai | EURACTIV.ro)
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