PM Munteanu: After Luxembourg meeting, “we are halfway through the marathon”
Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu characterized the official opening of accession negotiations for the first cluster, "Fundamental Values" as a historic and emotional moment. At the start of the government meeting on June 17, he reported on the reactions of the Foreign Ministers from European Union member states and highlighted the valuable support from Romania.
According to the Prime Minister, the launch of negotiations at the intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg on June 15 was marked by several interventions from the delegation of the Republic of Moldova. The reactions from the representatives of the member states were particularly significant for the Moldovan delegation, especially the support expressed by Romania.
"Romania reacted very emotionally. Oana Țoiu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, began speaking in Romanian, and she was not interrupted by anyone. She stated: 'I know this is not the working language, but I want to communicate to our brothers that this is a happy day for us in Romania, too,'" the Prime Minister reported.
He also mentioned that his French speech, which referenced the founding fathers of the European Union, was well received by representatives from other countries.
"We talked about the founding fathers of the European Union, Jean Monnet and Robert Schuman. The representative of Belgium commented, 'For a long time in this country, no one has spoken about values in terms of the founders of the European Union,'" the Prime Minister noted.
Additionally, he pointed out that busts of the founding fathers of the European Union are located in Herăstrau Park in Bucharest, expressing his hope that the Republic of Moldova will also pay tribute to them in the future, symbolizing its belonging to the European family.
Alexandru Munteanu highlighted the contribution of institutions involved in the reform processes that have allowed the Republic of Moldova to progress on the path to European accession. He emphasized that the accession negotiations serve not only as a political objective but also as a means for the modernization of the state.
"Each stage we complete in the negotiations strengthens our institutions, improves public services, and creates more opportunities for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova," Alexandru Munteanu stated.
At the same time, the Prime Minister stressed that the accession process is far from over.
"I believe we have passed the halfway point of this marathon; we have not yet reached the finish line. It will take time, but we have covered a significant portion of the path that we aimed for, and for which our citizens voted," Alexandru Munteanu concluded.
The accession process is organized into 33 chapters, which are grouped into six clusters. The official opening of the "Fundamental Values" Cluster on June 15 marks the beginning of the accession negotiations.
This package addresses five essential areas: reforming the judiciary, combating corruption, ensuring the proper functioning of democratic institutions (including the integrity of elections), protecting human rights, and enhancing the transparency of public finances. These areas are intentionally grouped together because they form the backbone of the rule of law and are crucial to progress in all other negotiation chapters.
European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, stated that she expects all six negotiation clusters with the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine to be opened in July, prior to the summer break.
The "Fundamental Values" Cluster will remain open throughout the negotiations and will be the last to close, regardless of progress in technical areas. Essentially, it serves as a continuous assessment of the reforms' credibility.
