Prime Minister: We Need a Credible European Integration Process

Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita had a meeting with European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Oliver Varhelyi on the sidelines of the Moldova-EU Association Council in Brussels. Officials discussed structural reforms in justice, economy, public finance, fight against corruption and steps taken by Moldova in recent months to fulfill the European agenda, moldpres.md reports. As reported by the government’s press office, to begin accession negotiations, the Moldovan government must not only comply with the European Commission’s nine conditions but also prepare an action plan to incorporate European legislation, and the European institutions are ready to provide support in this process. This was confirmed by European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. During the discussion, Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said that Moldova has made progress in terms of amendments to the legislation on the Superior Council of Magistracy, approval of the new Electoral Code, the National Criminal Assets Recovery Program, as well as in public investment projects. “We need a credible European integration process that will ensure the support of EU member states to begin accession negotiations. Given that the European Commission’s enlargement package for 2023 is due this fall, we aim to make the necessary progress by June,” Natalia Gavrilita said. The prime minister also thanked the European commissioner for the financial assistance provided by the EU to Moldova, stating that the national authorities should finalize by the end of this month the modalities of the second tranche of the macro-financial assistance package.