Moldova can improve situation in some areas only by intensifying dialogue with EU, says deputy PM

Chisinau, 20 November /MOLDPRES/ – Deputy Prime Minister, Iurie Leanca, has participated on Tuesday, 20 November, at the Annual Debate Forum on European Integration of Moldova, organised by the Moldovan Foreign Policy Association (APE) and Friedrich – Ebert – Stiftung Moldova (FES), in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration (MAEIE), the government's communication and protocol department has reported.

During the event deputy PM and chief of EU delegation, Peter Michalko, Romanian Secretary of State, Tudor Buzatu, and APE co – founder, Ion Sturza, discussed the major challenges facing the relations of Moldova – EU and impediments that Moldova faces within implementation of reforms under the Association Agreement (AA).

According to the Moldovan official, although Moldovan – EU relations are going throughout a more complicated phase, Moldova has made progress in the economic and financial – banking reforms and the authorities are still making considerable efforts to fulfill their commitments to EU.

"The discussions with the decision – makers of the major European family members make me relatively optimistic about the prospects for the Moldovan – EU relations. Compared to Ukraine and Georgia, Moldova is considered by many European politicians a country that is more likely to become a EU member, including because half of our citizens are also European citizens," said Iurie Leanca.

Also, the deputy PM has mentioned that only the intensification of the dialogue between Moldova and EU will allow to overcome the problems in certain fields, especially those in the field of justice.

"In order to accelerate justice reform, we must intensify dialogue and interactions at all levels with European partners," said the official.

In 2018, the Debate Forum on European Integration of Moldova is at its sixth issue and brought together Moldovan and EU decision makers, opinion makers, representatives of political parties, civil society and international organisations and mass media.