Latvian foreign minister urges Moldova to continue reforms

Chisinau, 26 March /MOLDPRES/ - Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs urged Moldova to continue reforms, in the context of the European integration process. Rinkēvičs said the key areas, on which the Moldovan authorities should focus efforts, were fighting corruption, justice reform and stabilisation of situation in the financial and banking sector. The official made statements to this effect at a joint news conference with Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Natalia Gherman.

„We hope that the government will manage to implement these reforms and will get closer to EU by a few steps,” Rinkēvičs said. Edgars Rinkēvičs also referred to the Eastern Partnership Summit, due in Riga in May.  „I would like to see three quite clear messages in Riga. First of all, countries interested in having closer ties with EU should get stronger support. Secondly, the Association Agreement does not represent the final step in the relation between the states willing to associate and EU. The third message is that we still have to approach problems related to our neighbourhood policy,” the official said.

Natalia Gherman specified that the officials had discussed, in particular, preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit due in Riga and Moldova’s European agenda. „The preparations for the Summit give us an occasion to report the Moldovan citizens about the implementation of the provisions of the Association Agreement and to EU colleagues – about the reform process. The more results will be achieved while implementing this Agreement, the better chances Moldova will have for an eventual positive reaction to get the statute of candidate for accession,” Natalia Gherman said.

Edgars Rinkēvičs pays a visit to Moldova. He is also to meet Prime Minister Chiril Gaburici and the leaders of the ruling coalition.

(Reporter N. Sandu, Editor M. Jantovan)