MEP Corina Cretu said at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg that Moldova is ready to start accession talks with the EU early next year. This statement is based both on the reforms underway in the country and on the current geopolitical situation, Agerpres news agency reported.
“Moldova is persistently demonstrating its desire to join the European family, despite hybrid attacks from Russia, multiple crises and taking responsibility for the large number of Ukrainian refugees compared to the size of the population,” Corina Cretu said.
Moldova officially became a candidate to join the European Union on 23 June 2022. Cretu added: “I was recently in Chisinau and I can confirm that Moldova is ready to start EU accession negotiations early next year, given the ongoing reforms and the clear European ambitions of the people, which were clearly expressed at the European Moldova Assembly, as well as taking into account the current geopolitical situation.”
Earlier, MEP Siegfried Muresan announced on Thursday his intention to ask the European Parliament to adopt a resolution to start negotiations on Moldova’s accession to the EU early next year.
Several lawmakers in the European Parliament stressed the need to include Moldova in various European programmes, instruments and agencies, as well as to make maximum use of EU financial instruments available before accession. This may require revising the rules and increasing the budget of the IPA III instrument.
