Popescu: Despite Financial Support, the EU Does not Trust Moldovan Authorities

This was the reaction of the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, to reports on 87 million Euros allocated to Moldova from the EU in support of the Eastern Partnership countries. He wrote on social media that the financial support package for partner countries once again proves that “the assistance that will come to Moldova from the EU is much more substantial than any other assistance provided by international players”, infotag.md reports. “At this stage, the European Union is the only international actor for whom the situation in the Republic of Moldova is really extremely important. And therefore, it provides assistance not as loans, but as grant aid,” Popescu said. He noted that “the amount of support is less than other EaP countries will receive, for example, Georgia (183 million euros) or Armenia (92 million euros)”. “This proves once again that Brussels does not trust the authorities and state institutions of the Republic of Moldova. Simply put, the EU does not believe that the assistance coming to Moldova will not be stolen. And, unfortunately, this concern has intensified recently, because despite the epidemiological crisis, grey schemes remain in Moldova in the field of public procurement, including in the healthcare sector. Such incompetent behavior of the authorities was reflected in the fact that Moldova could not count on much support,” the member of the opposition said.