The Executive Director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) gave an interview to eurOpinii/YouTube conducted by Ana Pisarenco. In it, he discussed national security, vetting, European integration, and the war in Ukraine. According to the expert, the EU would guarantee fair justice in the Republic of Moldova, even though neutrality is not a guarantee of national security.
“For an EU member state, it is important to listen to the Venice Commission, a group of experts that provides recommendations. These recommendations are not mandatory, and there are no penalties, but for a country aspiring to join the EU, respecting them is essential. In 2004, during the largest EU enlargement, Bulgaria and Romania were not admitted because, during their evaluation as EU candidate countries, they failed to convince the member states and the European Commission that they had met the minimum required standards for the rule of law to operate independently of politics. Only two years later, they joined but with the condition that they remain under European Commission monitoring. It was only last year that this monitoring ended,” explained Iulian Groza.
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“It is no coincidence that justice plays a key role in the accession negotiations. To ensure that the country makes efforts in this area, the EU will start with the chapter on justice and will be the last to conclude. It provides extra assurance for a country that has been reforming its justice system for 33 years. Even though the laws have improved, we have always faced the implementation challenge,” he added.