Marta Kos: Moldova and Ukraine Do Not Have to Advance Towards EU Membership at the Same Pace

European Commissioner Marta Kos has said that Moldova’s and Ukraine’s integration into the European Union will depend on the results of reforms and the implementation of EU legislation in each country. “The two countries do not have to move forward at the same pace, and the speed of progress will depend on how effectively each of them delivers on its commitments,” the European Commissioner said during the New Week with Anatolie Golea programme on TV8, Infotag reports. She noted that this was precisely why the European Commission had drawn up roadmaps for each of the four countries at the forefront of EU accession efforts. “What have we included in these roadmaps? We’ve made it very clear that Moldova can move forward much faster. The only criterion we can use to assess how quickly a country can progress is results. We have agreed on a results-based approach. There can be no progress without doing the work, and unless the member states confirm that the required results have been achieved,” Marta Kos stressed. At the same time, she drew attention to the difficult circumstances in which Ukraine continues to implement reforms while at war with Russia. “When discussing the progress of Moldova and Ukraine, we must not forget that Ukraine is currently at war. You know, sometimes Ukraine achieves much more, even while fighting Russia, than other candidate countries that have done far less despite not facing these enormous challenges. (...) I am genuinely impressed by the results Moldova and Ukraine are achieving. Some people in Ukraine, for example, are not even sure they will wake up alive tomorrow. And despite this, they continue to move forward,” the European Commission representative said. She also addressed journalists’ questions about the so-called Plan B being discussed in Chisinau: Moldova joining the European Union through unification with Romania. “Right now, Moldova is aligning its national legislation with European standards in order to become an EU member. But how you choose to join is your decision. Only the citizens of the Republic of Moldova can decide that,” Marta Kos stressed. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola expressed a similar view earlier, saying that Moldova “must decide its own future”. In a recent interview with the Hungarian newspaper Válasz Online, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said she would support unification with Romania on security grounds, given the threat posed by Russia. “I want my country to be safe, and I want my country to be free. Imagine Russia moving closer to your borders – you would have to look for solutions, even if they seemed strange to you,” Sandu said.