EU-Moldova Summit: A key step to membership
The inaugural EU-Republic of Moldova Summit, scheduled for July 4 in Chișinău, marks a historic milestone in our country's European journey, simultaneously sending a clear signal of support from the European Union, stated Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, in an interview with Moldova 1 from Brussels.
The event will gather senior European leaders in Chișinău, including European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The chief negotiator also highlighted that the summit could feature "important announcements" regarding deeper cooperation with the European Union and Moldova's inclusion in initiatives currently exclusive to member states.
"On July 4, we'll be honored to host the inaugural Republic of Moldova-European Union summit in Chișinău, a pivotal event for our country. The participation of Mr. António Costa and Ms. Ursula von der Leyen underscores the significance of this moment," Gherasimov stated.
The Deputy Prime Minister clarified that the summit's primary objective is to fortify political and institutional support from the EU for Moldova's European integration.
"Our expectation is for this summit to convey a clear message: the Republic of Moldova enjoys the full backing of European institutions and member states. We are not alone in confronting the external challenges and threats we face," Cristina Gherasimov added.
Regarding the accession process, the Deputy Prime Minister noted that while the recent European Council conclusions did not yet announce the opening of the first negotiation chapter, the Republic of Moldova is in an advanced stage of dialogue with Brussels.
"We anticipate these favorable conclusions will pave the way for our next technical stages, including the commencement of negotiations on the first cluster – that of fundamental values. This is a logical and essential step in our accession process," Gherasimov explained.
The Deputy Prime Minister also addressed comments from the President of Romania, who previously hinted that the opening of negotiations could be announced on July 4, asserting that "Romania is the voice of the Republic of Moldova in the European Union" and that Bucharest's support is "active and highly valued." However, the ultimate decision on opening chapters lies with the 27 member states and has not yet been made.
Regarding the potential decoupling of the Republic of Moldova from Ukraine in the negotiation process, Gherasimov reaffirmed solidarity with her Ukrainian neighbors: "We firmly support the European path of Ukraine and the Western Balkan states. Only by working together can we build the peace and prosperity we desire for our citizens."
She added that both countries are technically prepared for the next stage of negotiations and expressed hope that member states will find a solution to facilitate this progress.
Cristina Gherasimov also noted that with Denmark assuming the EU Council presidency, the priorities for the upcoming semester will include EU enlargement.
"We already know that enlargement is part of the Danish presidency's agenda. We anticipate seeing the first concrete steps in this direction," Cristina Gherasimov told Moldova 1.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
