European Commission urges Moldova to press ahead with reforms

Chisinau, 27 February /MOLDPRES/ - Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu on 26 February had a meeting with a delegation of the European Commission, on a visit to Moldova. The delegation is made up of European Commission Director-General for EU Neighbourhood & Enlargement Christian Danielsson and Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European External Action Service Thomas Mayr-Harting, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.  

The discussions were focused on priorities of reforms for the parliament’s spring session. The speaker reiterated that the priority was to speed up the implementation of the Association Agreement, in order to remove the recorded arrears. Andrian Candu said the legislative schedule on fulfilling the commitments taken within the Association Agreement for 2015-2016 was at the basis of setting the agendas of the parliamentary sessions for 2016.

“There is will to change things for the better. We have energetically started the spring session, having the firm goal to continue the reforms at a higher tempo. At the first two parliament meetings, we discussed and approved important laws, expected for a long time, both by the society and the development partners. A string of important legislative acts are prepared to be debated for next week as well,” Andrian Candu said.

According to the speaker, the parliament is set to ensure, as quickly as possible, the approximation of the national legislation to the EU acquis, synchronization of the actions of the parliament and government in implementing the Association Agreement, as well as a more active involvement of the civil society in the legislative process. The parliament speaker referred to the fact that, at the first plenary meetings of the spring session, the MPs had adopted a string of important, priority laws in enforcing the Association Agreement, such as the Law on Prosecution in the second reading, and in the first reading – the integrity, financial and banking package, as well as the energy package. At the same time, Andrian Candu said that, among the priorities of the parliament spring session, there were the passage of laws connected to the Law on Prosecution, a set of legislative amendments on fighting corruption, justice reform, creating an attractive business environment.   

Other topics discussed at the meeting were related to measures of financial stabilization undertaken by the authorities, as well as the procedure of selecting the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova (BNM). Andrian Candu stressed that, after interviews are held with the candidates for the post of BNM governor next week, he was to put forward the selected candidature to the parliament.  

At the same time, Andrian Candu said that, for the first time being, the Moldovan parliament would benefit from a high-level EU Adviser, who through his/her expertise, would help strengthen the parliament’s capacities in implementing the Association Agreement.

The European officials urged the Moldovan authorities to press ahead with the reforms, keeping the tempo or even speeding it up, establishing clear-cut priorities along with the government and definite terms of implementation.  

(Editor A. Raileanu)