Moldova's EU path: Justice reform remains key hurdle
The Republic of Moldova has made significant strides towards European integration, and the efforts of the authorities in Chișinău are recognized by all countries of the European Union.
However, justice reform remains the weakest link. The statements were made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popșoi, in an interview with the IPN news agency.
"It is evident that justice remains the weakest link. We do not hide this, nor have we ever wanted to," Popșoi stated. He mentioned that although some of the corrupt judges and prosecutors have been removed from the system, there are still individuals who are sabotaging external evaluations and reforms.
The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledges that people are dissatisfied because there have not been enough convictions, and this is being increasingly reproached. "The results so far require us to intervene more decisively. Citizens need to see justice served, not excuses and evasions," Popșoi emphasized.
EU accession negotiations expected to open in the second half of the year
The government aims to open the first negotiation chapters with the European Union in the second half of 2025, and the goal is to have the process completed by 2029.
"We hope that in the second part of this year, during the Polish presidency, we will open the first negotiation chapters. I have just discussed this with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski. Similarly, my counterpart from Denmark – a country that will take over the presidency in the second semester – has confirmed their support," Popșoi said, specifying that the objective is accession in 2029 or at the latest in 2030.
He mentioned that progress in harmonizing European legislation is visible, but acknowledges that there are also areas where the process is lagging. "We are ambitious, but also realistic. We prefer to promise less and deliver more – this has been our principle from the beginning," the official said.
Energy security
In parallel with justice and administrative reforms, the authorities maintain that the Republic of Moldova has managed to strengthen its resilience to crises, especially in the energy sector. "As a society, we have become stronger, more resilient, especially regarding energy security. We have diversified our energy sources and are no longer dependent on the Kremlin. We have strengthened information and cyber security – essential areas today. We have also made progress in air space control," Mihai Popșoi stated.
The Republic of Moldova officially submitted its application for accession to the European Union on March 3, 2022, in the context of the war launched by Russia in Ukraine. Just a few months later, on June 23, 2022, the country obtained candidate status for accession, and on June 25, 2024, the negotiation stage was officially launched with the holding of the first EU–Republic of Moldova Intergovernmental Conference.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
