Moldova is not alone, top EU lawmaker McAllister says
The European Union stands ready to provide sustained financial assistance to Moldova as the nation accelerates accession reforms and trade integration, a senior European Parliament lawmaker said on Thursday.
Speaking in Brussels to Teleradio-Moldova special correspondent Dan Alexe, David McAllister, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), stressed that Chisinau’s economic future lies firmly within the 27-nation bloc.
Trade growth and financial commitment
Since the EU-Moldova Association Agreement entered into force in 2016, bilateral trade volume has expanded two-and-a-half times, with the EU market now absorbing approximately 70% of Moldovan exports.
“This demonstrates that it is in the interest of the Republic of Moldova and its economy to consolidate ties with us even further,” McAllister said. “Moldova’s future is in Europe, and certainly not towards the East.”
To support structural modernization, the European Commission approved a €1.9 billion (approx. 38.2 billion MDL) Growth Plan covering the 2025–2027 period, which McAllister described as an essential financial mechanism to assist citizens and businesses through transitional adjustments.
“This Growth Plan is a clear signal from the EU and its 27 member states that Moldova is not alone,” he said. “We stand by you, and that is precisely why we are prepared to allocate funds.”
Monitoring And Reform Track Record
McAllister underlined that rigorous oversight remains a standard prerequisite across all EU partner countries to ensure funds deliver tangible benefits under strict accountability rules.
“Oversight of how funds are used is essential,” he noted. “We want to know precisely what happens with this money—that it generates a concrete positive impact and that all necessary regulations are respected.”
Moldova has fulfilled 46 of the 48 reform actions scheduled for 2025 and the first half of 2026, marking a 95% completion rate under the plan’s reform pillar.
Around €477 million has been disbursed to date, while the European Commission is reviewing reform milestones ahead of a scheduled €157 million tranche. Chisinau is also preparing a supplementary €2 billion pipeline of strategic energy, infrastructure, and digital projects.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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