Jānis Mažeiks: EU is ready for enlargement. It is a historic opportunity for the Republic of Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is approaching a pivotal moment in its European journey this election year. Jānis Mažeiks, the Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Chisinau, stated in the show "We and Europe: Path to Accession" on Radio Moldova that the 27 member states of the community bloc are demonstrating a political commitment to enlargement, as long as the Republic of Moldova meets the European Commission's recommendations during the negotiation process. He emphasized that the future of this path will depend on the will of the citizens, which will be reflected in the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2025.
“It is clear that the EU is ready for enlargement. I think this is very important for the Republic of Moldova. This means that the process depends on the readiness of the Republic of Moldova to take the necessary steps to become a member state, and these elections are very important. The process of integration into the EU is not a process that you can finish in August 2025. It is necessary to continue it in the coming years. It is a historic opportunity, and it depends on the citizens of the Republic of Moldova”, emphasized Ambassador Jānis Mažeiks.
Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, noted that the Republic of Moldova has a unique opportunity to become a member of the European Union and cannot miss such a chance.
“*We have been talking about European integration for about 20 years, and we have seen several political stages with more or less political will. It is important for our country, precisely from the perspective of opportunity, to maintain the political will to advance rapidly on our European path because there is the accession train. It is at our station now, and if we as a country choose another train this autumn, we will lose this opportunity, and we do not know when the next train will come. Because, again, these opportunities in the history of the EU are extremely rare," said Cristina Gherasimov.
Brussels is currently analyzing the progress of the Republic of Moldova in competition policies. This exercise aims to check to what extent the legislation and the practice of applying this legislation comply with the existing rules in the European Union. As a result, the first cluster in the negotiation process could be opened in April.
