First report on Moldova's progress towards EU accession to be presented in Brussels
The Republic of Moldova will present on Wednesday 19 April in Brussels the first report on the fulfilment of the 9 recommendations of the European Commission. The announcement was made today by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, at a joint press conference with his Dutch counterpart, Wopke Hoekstra, who is on an official visit to our country.
The Moldovan head of diplomacy said that a good part of the recommendations had already been fulfilled, while another series "concerns processes that never end", including the constant improvement of the justice sector.
"It is a very important day for us today, it is the first time that our country presents and sends to Brussels our first report, our first contribution to the EU enlargement report, which will be drafted and written by the European Union by October. Today we are sending this report, almost a thousand pages long, to Brussels, which explains in great detail what progress we have made and how far we have come in our adjustment and progress in our process of accession to the European Union (...). The justice process does not end this year, but the progress made is sufficient for the EU to accept us into the next stage of the EU accession process," the official said.
Asked to say to what extent the Republic of Moldova has fulfilled the European Commission's recommendations, Popescu said that "a good part of the recommendations have been fulfilled", while "another series of recommendations concern processes that never end". The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that visible progress for the Republic of Moldova was essential. Moreover, Nicu Popescu said, the biggest "danger" for Moldova's EU accession is that some people are preventing the reform of this sector.
"For Moldova, the goal is to demonstrate visible and substantial progress. These systemic and systematic results are beginning to be seen: the conviction of Șor, the return of the airport to state management. We have several legislative packages to clarify certain areas that will facilitate the functioning of justice, and several laws adopted. With these measures, Moldova has already shown progress and obviously we still have a lot of work to do, especially in the area of justice. The greatest expectation and the greatest danger for our European course comes from the field of justice. Without a drastic, dramatic and rapid improvement in the situation with corruption the European course of the Republic of Moldova will be complicated and slowed down. All those who try to prevent justice reform are an impediment to peace and our accession to the EU", said Nicu Popescu.
On 4 March 2022, the Republic of Moldova applied to join the European Union. In June of the same year, the European Council, on the recommendation of the European Commission, recognised the European perspective of the Republic of Moldova and decided to grant it the status of candidate country for accession to the European Union.
The authorities in Chisinau have undertaken to comply with the recommendations of the European institutions to take measures in several areas. In particular, the European Commission's recommendations concern the fight against corruption, justice reform, deoligarchisation and reduction of the influence of private interests, the functioning of democratic institutions, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
