Government, parliament hold joint meeting on day of entry into force of Moldova-EU Association Agreement

Chisinau, 1 July /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip and Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu today chaired a joint meeting of the government and parliament, focused on Moldova’s European integration agenda, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.    

Both the prime minister and parliament speaker stressed the special significance of the today’s meeting, which takes place in a historical day for Moldova – the day when the Moldova - European Union Association Agreement enters into force.    

On this occasion, PM Pavel Filip congratulated all citizens. Filip highlighted that the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and the European Union entered into force on 1 July 2016 as well. “We are in a historical moment for Moldova, the day then the Association Agreement with the European Union enters into force, after the preliminary phases were finished by the member states. This means, in fact, that Moldova makes one more step towards the European Union,” Pavel Filip said.

The prime minister also said that Moldova would not give up the European option, despite skeptical opinions in this respect. “We, the present government, know what we have to do, we have no reserve plans, we have a single plan, called the European Union, and we are equally resolute in fulfilling our commitment for reforms in Moldova,” Filip noted.   

The parliament speaker stressed the important of the day of 1 July for Moldova: “We experience a historical moment, maybe one of the most important ones since the declaration of independence. Starting from today, Moldova is not just a partner, but is associate state to the European Union.” Andrian Candu reiterated the parliament’s commitment to further focus on the carrying out of the European agenda, in close cooperation with the government.    

The participants in the meeting examined a string of topics concerning the draft legislative acts submitted by the cabinet to parliament for priority consideration in the 2016 spring session, implementation of the Roadmap on priority reforms’ agenda, and set the priorities for the common agenda of the parliament and government for the next period. In this context, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said that about 70 per cent of the commitments taken through the Roadmap had been fulfilled, and the others were under advanced enforcement. Speaker Andrian Candu noted that 40 out of 52 pending normative acts had been completely carried out, another seven draft laws were to be passed in the second reading.      

Both the prime minister and the parliament speaker highlighted the efficient cooperation between the government and parliament, with the cabinet members and lawmakers proving maximal mobilization and responsibility in fulfilling the commitments taken through the Roadmap. Till late July 2016, all provisions of this document are to be fully achieved and authorities are to switch to the second phase: enforcement of laws and normative acts approved within the Roadmap on priority reforms’ agenda.   

(Editor L. Alcaza)