Moldovan PM's speech following meetings of Associated Trio with EU's top leadership

Chisinau, 30 November /MOLDPRES/ -  Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita has given the following speech after the meetings between the Associated Trio with the European Union’s top leadership in Brussels:     

Ladies and gentlemen,  

Thank you for your constant interest in the issues dealing with the Eastern Partnership. Today, we end an important visit for the Associated Trio; Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The presence of three prime ministers in Brussels, just two weeks before the Eastern Partnership Summit, is not a coincidence.       

We are here to sum up our achievements and to plan our actions and our future common way. A way set by the European Union through the Eastern Partnership, which we are determined and resolute to go.   

Due to the Eastern Partnership, our countries have become closer, our relations with EU have advanced and become deeper and the dialogue – more structured. It is not a secret for anybody that we had failures too; yet, we can no longer look behind. Our destination is clear. The road to the Eastern Partnership Summit should stay focused on the launch of a strong and promising political declaration.     

The recent political changes in Moldova did nothing but strengthened my country’s wish to integrate, in continuation, into EU. Our citizens have a strong mandate of the current government and parliament to re-put Moldova on the way of ambitious reforms, guided by our solid commitment to the EU values and standards. We focus all efforts on the much expected reforms, such as the justice reform, fighting corruption, institutions’ consolidation, economy’s reformation, investments in the digital transformation and ecology. We are also grateful for the ambitious economic and investment plan proposed by the Commission last summer and for the EU’s financial support, in general.       

These changes need time and effort, especially on a period when the entire world goes through a pandemic, an economic and health crisis. Our road can be uncertain, but the goal is clear: a strong, independent and prosperous Moldova, which is fully integrated into EU, in the interest and for the benefit of all its citizens.   

We are aware of the fact that the hard work and the bold reforms must remain the priorities of this joint effort. As Trio, we cannot succeed but with the EU’s support. Thus, we continue militating for a stronger EU’s commitment in our region.   

On this purpose, the Associated Trio prioritizes three goals, which we will tackle at the forthcoming Summit. We want a deeper political dialogue, a better economic and sectoral integration. We hope for a closer cooperation, especially in the fields which matter most of all for our citizens and have potential to bring positive transformations in their lives: cutting the roaming costs, simplification and cutting the costs for the cross-border banking transactions, eventually through joining the Single Euro Payments Area.     

We are willing to have promising answers to the need to strengthen our resistance, taking into account that a resistant eastern neighbourhood brings concrete benefits to everybody. In this respect, we encourage the focusing of efforts on the dimension of security of the Eastern Partnership, both in classical terms and in an effort to counteract the hybrid threats.       

We also put emphasis on all objectives with direct impact on our resilience: stimulation of the cooperation in the health sector, enhancement of the energy security and integration on the European energy market, consolidation of the transports’ connectivity, approaching the justice and internal affairs reform, as ways of strengthening the internal resilience.   

These are just some of the subjects which we discussed today with President Von Der Leyen, President Michel and President Sassoli. Their openness to consolidate our cooperation inspires us with confidence and we are looking forward to a successful Summit and Declaration of the Eastern Partnership, which is to comprise our common ambitions and new and concrete proposals.     

Photo: Government