MEPs are voting to reiterate their commitment to Moldova’s future EU membership and want accession talks with Chişinău to start before the end of the year, the European Parliament’s website reports.
According to the European Parliament members, the Moldovan government has demonstrated its determination and ability to fulfil the European Commission’s demands to begin membership talks. They also stressed that Moldova’s EU membership would represent a geostrategic investment in a united and strong Europe.
The MEPs stressed the importance of carrying out reforms in the country, not only for the EU accession, but, above all, for a tangible improvement in the living standards of Moldovans.
EU member states plan to increase their financial and technical aid to Moldova in order to facilitate the country’s fast and effective integration into the EU, according to the resolution adopted by MEPs.
The European Parliament reminds that accession to the bloc is merit-based and requires fulfilment of membership criteria, calling on all political actors in Moldova to seek consensus on the most important and urgent reforms in order to further harmonise the country’s legislation with EU standards.
The MEPs stress the particular importance of justice reform and the fight against corruption and call on the Moldovan authorities to continue working on de-oligarchisation, public finance management reform, the fight against organised crime and public administration reform.
The resolution was adopted with 448 votes in favour, 45 against and 43 abstentions.
Following the outbreak of the military conflict in Ukraine, Moldova applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was granted candidate status in June of the same year. In April 2023, the European Parliament called for the start of accession talks with the country by the end of 2023 if Chişinău fulfils nine steps defined by the European Commission.
