EU Ambassador to Moldova: Moldova Competes with Itself in Pursuit of EU Membership

Ambassador of the European Union to Chișinău, Janis Mazeiks, has stated that the Republic of Moldova is not competing with Ukraine, Georgia, or any other candidate countries for the European Union, but rather with itself. The official emphasized during a TV show on TV8, that the progress made by the Republic of Moldova in meeting the nine recommendations of the European Commission (EC) would determine when negotiations for accession to the EU would begin.

Mazeiks explained that for the European Commission, there are two reference points: the nine points presented in the Commission’s opinion last year, and how much legislation and the practice of legislation are harmonized with EU legislation and if it corresponds to the EU acquis communautaire. He added that it is a long-term process, and the current government cannot be blamed for the slow pace of reforms in the country.

The ambassador stressed that Moldova needs to align its legislation with EU legislation to ensure a better life for its citizens. Mazeiks added that these norms are not just a bureaucratic stage but rather a guarantee for a better life for EU citizens. He concluded that Moldova must focus on these nine points of the European Commission, and the timing of negotiations for accession to the EU will depend on progress in meeting these recommendations.

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In October, the Republic of Moldova will receive a report on its progress over the past year, according to the EU official. The report will be one of the components for starting negotiations for accession, along with the political decision of EU member states, who operate on a consensus basis.

During the European Council meeting on June 23, 2022, EU leaders granted the Republic of Moldova the status of candidate country for the EU. They invited the European Commission to submit a report to the Council on the fulfillment of the conditions set out in the Commission’s opinion on the application for accession of the Republic of Moldova.

Subsequently, an action plan was developed to implement the nine conditions set out by the European Commission. The project was discussed at the National Commission for European Integration (CNIE) meeting on July 13, 2022, and was adopted on August 4, 2022.

The action plan includes the next steps to be taken by the summer of 2023. The Republic of Moldova will need to make significant progress in implementing the action plan to move closer to starting negotiations for accession to the EU.