The chances of the Republic of Moldova joining the EU in the next seven years are increasing!
The European Union must be prepared to welcome new member states by 2030, stated European Council President Charles Michel on Monday at a forum held in the resort town of Bled in Slovenia, as reported by Reuters, AFP, and Agerpres.
“I believe that we need to be prepared to expand by 2030. This is ambitious, but necessary. It shows that we are serious,” said Michel.
The six Western Balkan states – Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia – are at different stages in the process of joining the community bloc.
Last year, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine were granted candidate status. Georgia is also awaiting this status.
Michel mentioned that future member states will need to implement reforms to ensure the independence of their judicial systems, fight against organized crime and corruption, and align their foreign policies with EU member states in order to join the community bloc.
Furthermore, the European official urged all aspirants to resolve their bilateral conflicts before joining the European Union.
“You must ensure that none of the conflicts from the past are imported into the EU,” he stated. According to Michel, the European Council will discuss enlargement at its upcoming meeting.
He declared that the enlargement package from the European Commission, expected in October, could provide additional details about the gradual integration that could allow future members to experience the benefits of full participation in some EU institutions and policies before officially becoming a member of the bloc.
Michel affirmed that the EU itself will need to implement some reforms in preparation for expansion.