Moldovan PM participates in videoconference of Eastern Partnership's leaders

Chisinau, 18 June /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Ion Chicu, at an invitation by President of the European Council Charles Michel and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, today participated in a videoconference of the Eastern Partnership’s (EaP) leaders, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.    

The sixth summit of the Eastern Partnership was to be held in Brussels on 18 June 2020; yet, because of the pandemic, decision-makers ruled to hold the discussions in videoconference regime.  

The meeting was focused on three subjects: cooperation and solidarity in fighting the Covid-19 crisis; reconfirming the strategic importance of the Eastern Partnership and its defining elements and the EaP’s long-term results, goals and the products ready for delivery post 2020.

Heads of state and government from 27 EU member states and six Eastern Partnership states: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, participated in the event.   

„Even before the pandemic, the Eastern Partnership got closer to a ‘’moment of truth.’’ Now, after 10 years of cooperation, EaP either reinvents itself and we get ‘’a new breath’’ or it slowly but surely loses its political relevance. The pandemic accelerated this process,’’ Ion Chicu said. The PM noted that the Partnership’s direction of evolution, set at present, would influence the course of actions for the next years, would define our relations and would remodel EU’s role in the region.    

The participants in the event pointed out that the pandemic had strongly hit the societies and the health systems. The gradual resumption of the economic activities generates increase in the number of infected people and puts additional pressure on the health system.  

The Moldovan prime minister thanked the EU states for the support provided to Moldova in form of tests, protection equipment, medication and products all the countries will continue to increasingly need this year. ‘’We are grateful for the programmes meant to back the small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as the civil society. The announced sums for assistance impress,’’ the PM said.  
 

Note: To get the Eastern Partners closer to EU, Prime Minister Ion Chicu proposed four actions:

1.  Boosting the high-level strategic political dialogue – it is necessary, in order to maintain the commitment for reforms strong.  

2.  Quick fostering of the sectoral cooperation through setting concrete objectives. For example: joining the Single Euro Payments Area, which would generate real differences for business and citizens. The digitalization of economies, progress made in terms of green and climate-neutral economy will require significant investments and needs joint planning of actions and instruments.  

3.  Focusing on the institutional and social stability, in the contest of EU’s support for strengthening the central and local public authorities, in order to determine the reforms at all levels. There are opportunities to extend the cooperation in the security sector, combating the phenomenon of misinforming and cyber threats, etc.    

4.  The pandemic triggered a strong solidarity effect, which can be used for the carrying out of joint projects on the consolidation of the health systems and crises management capacities. Joint projects can be initiated and implemented in the field of improving the infrastructure in the health sector, carrying out of joint procurements, facilitating the flow of essential products, etc.