Moldova: The EU should open EU accession negotiations with Chisinau before the end of 2023

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament reiterates its call on the Commission and the European Council to start EU accession negotiations with the Republic of Moldova by the end of 2023 and to increase its financial and technical assistance to Chisinau.

Following our political group’s initiative, a resolution taking stock of Moldova's path to the EU was today debated in plenary, welcoming the considerable efforts made by the Moldovan authorities to advance the reform agenda in order to progress towards EU membership.

At the same time, the EU must increase its support of the Moldovan government’s efforts to fight the unprecedented hybrid operations orchestrated by the Russian Federation interfering in the democratic processes of the country, by putting in place additional targeted sanctions while making sure the existing ones are duly implemented.

MEP Dragoş Tudorache (REPER, Romania), Renew Europe Group’s Vice-Chair and the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Moldova, said:

“The Republic of Moldova is on the right path! Not an easy one, but the Moldovans are determined to walk on this path with a great deal of ambition. Such profound reforms as those Chisinau has committed to cannot be done in one year, not by Moldova or any other EU country for that matter. That is why the proven commitment, political will and ability to deliver are truly important and must be the key to open the door to the negotiations to join the EU.

Moreover, opening the negotiations does not mean that the reform processes is over, quite on the contrary, they will continue with even more support and expertise from the EU, from us. I really hope the Commission sees all the progress Moldova made and will be once again bold and visionary with its upcoming assessment. This is, above all, a matter of political will.”