Sturza: We Must Acknowledge the Fact that European Integration Won’t Proceed as Quickly as We Would Like

According to former Prime Minister Ion Sturza, despite the “homework” done by the authorities in Chisinau, the European course may slow down due to external factors and the lack of a clear perspective after 2028. “We have a problem with 2028, which has two components. The first is that many people have linked 2028 with the start of negotiations with the European Union. To be honest, there is very little chance of that happening today. We don’t know how long this will last,” Ion Sturza said on TV8. He clarified that his skepticism was not related to the work of the Moldovan authorities, but to external circumstances. “This is not the fault of the Republic of Moldova. It has done its homework very well, at least the government team has. The agencies have carried out screening and are technically ready. But there are factors that we cannot control – the Transnistria issue, declining public support for the European idea, the situation in Ukraine, and the lack of real openness on the part of the European Union, not just at the level of statements. We must be prepared for these processes to be delayed,” Sturza said. In his opinion, 2028 will be a turning point not only for European integration but also for Moldova’s domestic politics, as Maia Sandu’s second presidential term will come to an end. Right now, Sturza thinks there’s no clear idea about who’ll take over after 2028.