Moldova speeds up reforms, but implementation remains a key challenge
Adopting the laws through Parliament by 2027 is an ambitious target, but putting them into practice will be the real challenge. Still, the steady pace of reforms and positive signals from Brussels suggest that the Republic of Moldova could conclude its EU accession negotiations in 2028.
"I believe it is very realistic—even if the timeline is ambitious—to succeed in finalizing what we have set out to achieve by 2027. Given the pace at which we are currently moving, we are seeing remarkable results. This is acknowledged not only by us but also by the European Commission, including the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos. We also need the right workforce to align our legislation with the EU's. That said, 2027 will also be a year of implementation; while adopting laws in Parliament and moving them through the Government is one thing, the actual implementation of all these changes is quite another", stated Dorian Istrati, a deputy from the Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) faction, during the show "La 360 de grade" on Moldova 1.
The parliamentary opposition, represented by the "Our Party" (PN) faction, maintains that it will contribute to carrying out the necessary reforms, yet remains skeptical regarding the practical application of European legislation.
"It is one thing to approve laws in Parliament—to have them voted on and promulgated—but it is quite another when we talk about their implementation. We shall see whether the Government succeeds in implementing these laws, and whether the necessary human and institutional capacity exists, as an enormous amount of work goes into drafting them. We must acknowledge this", stated Alexandr Berlinschi, deputy from the "Our Party" faction.
In response, Dorian Istrati told Berlinschii that some laws are already being implemented successfully, and that citizens stand to gain from these reforms. He pointed to the banking sector, telecommunications, and renewable energy as examples.
"If we look at the banking sector, measures were already implemented last autumn, resulting in savings of hundreds of millions of lei for citizens in the form of reduced fees when transferring money home. We have also implemented a 'roaming-like-at-home' system. As for renewable energy, we have significantly increased energy production. That is why we have received a 'green' rating in the European Commission's report on implementation in the energy sector", the PAS MP said.
Roadmap and decoupling from Ukraine
Another topic the program's guests discussed at length was the roadmap, as well as whether to decouple from Ukraine in the European integration process. The guests observed that the Republic of Moldova is progressing faster along the roadmap than Ukraine, where the war makes adopting and enforcing laws much more difficult.
"The country is at war; it has a much larger territory and far more institutions than the Republic of Moldova. For now, we are proceeding as decided—alongside them—and this is a decision supported unanimously by our European partners," commented Dorian Istrati.
On the other hand, the deputy of PN argues that each country has its own agenda, and therefore, the path toward integration should not be directly linked to that of its neighbors.
"I believe that the Republic of Moldova should be decoupled from Ukraine, given that we are, after all, talking about two independent states, each with its own agenda and the reforms it needs to implement. Therefore, for us to wait for Ukraine, or for Ukraine to wait for the Republic of Moldova—that does not seem right to me at this stage," argued Alexandr Berlinschi.
