Sandu on EU Accession without Transnistria: The Problem Will Be Solved Afterwards

Moldova’s integration to the European Union may take place in two stages. President Maia Sandu said on TV that the territory controlled by the Moldovan authorities could become an EU member, while the left bank would join it later, willingly. “Moldova cannot stand still; we must become an EU member. The EU does not put the question in such a way that if there is no reintegration, there will be no Moldova’s integration to the EU.” “Our people on the left bank will see what Moldova’s integration to the European Union is like, as we will have a much higher life quality than we have now. We have seen this on the example of all the countries that have become EU members in the last 20 years. And the problem will be solved later, if we cannot resolve it before Moldova joins the EU,” the head of state said on the programme “New Week with Anatolie Golea” on TV8. According to the President, joining the “European family” guarantees peace. “We cannot live another 30 years without democracy, without a decent living standard. Our programme is aimed at the European Union. There we will live in peace, while Russia is war and poverty,” Sandu said. The unresolved Transnistrian conflict is not an obstacle to the country’s accession to the EU. EU leaders have repeatedly stated this. “We need to concentrate on our domestic agenda, make reforms. However, we have a good chance. We need to be united, work better, and then we have a real chance to become an EU member before the end of this decade,” Sandu concluded.