EU: Moldova must resolve Transnistria conflict before joining
The Transnistrian conflict must be resolved before Moldova can join the European Union, Euro MP Dacian Cioloș said in an interview with Radio Moldova.
"It is very important that we prepare to resolve this issue before Moldova is ready to negotiate all other chapters of accession to the European Union," Cioloș said. "We should not wait until the last minute to resolve the Transnistrian issue, because even if this scenario is possible, I know from discussions I have had with certain political leaders that there will be some who will be quite reluctant to make such a decision. You have seen the situation in Cyprus. There could be some EU member states that are reluctant to import territorial issues into the European Union."
Cioloș's comments come as the European Parliament is set to vote on whether Moldova is ready to begin accession negotiations. The European Commission will then issue its own opinion, and the European Council will make the final decision at a summit in December.
The Transnistrian conflict is a frozen conflict that began in 1992, when a pro-Russian breakaway region in Moldova declared independence. The conflict has claimed over 1,500 lives and displaced over 100,000 people.
Cioloș's comments are a reminder of the challenges Moldova faces as it seeks to join the European Union. The conflict in Transnistria is a major obstacle to Moldova's integration into the EU, and it is likely to be a major issue in the accession negotiations.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
