Moldovan foreign minister says association with European Union step preceding accession to EU

Chisinau, 13 March /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Andrei Galbur today gave a lecture at the Finnish Centre for Russian and East European Studies at the Aleksanteri Institute of the Helsinki University, the Foreign and European Integration Ministry’s information and media communication service has said.       

In his speech, Andrei Galbur treated Moldova’s historical evolution, difficulties and challenges faced by the country, the strategic goal concerning the reformation of the state’s institutions, political and economic association with the European Union, as well as Moldova’s role in the regional context between West and East.  

“Moldova has presently two strategic objectives, which it should achieve concomitantly. The first one is the state’s systemic modernization through consolidating the democratic institutions, improving the respect for human rights, stimulating all factors which can speed up the economic growth. In our opinion, the best way to succeed in what we have set to do is the promotion of the political association and economic integration into EU, through implementing the Association Agreement and the Free Trade Agreement, followed by Moldova’s accession to the European Union. The second objective is to maintain stability in the country through enhancing the capacity of adaptation, reducing the division in the society, settling the Transnistrian conflict, which has been lasting for 25 years already. I will not refer to the circumstances of the emerging of this conflict. I will just notice that such conflicts appeared in most former Soviet republics, the most recent one being in Ukraine,” the head of the Moldovan diplomacy stressed.   

The lecture was followed by a round of questions and answers, during which the participants discussed subjects on the domestic and foreign policy of Moldova.