Brussels, 10/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 10 February, the EU launched an appeal to political leaders in Moldavia to continue with political and economic reforms and put an end to the political stalemate that has prevented the election of the country's president since 2009. Following a meeting with the Moldavian prime minister, Vlad Filat, on 10 February in Brussels, the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, welcomed the fact that “2010 had been the year of reforms”. He informed the press that reforms had to be continued and increased. Filat underlined the “firm commitment” to continue along the path of reform, particularly in the fields of justice and the economy. He also reiterated his country's objective of establishing closer links with the EU and said: “Moldavia is a European country with European citizens”. In January 2010, the country began negotiations with the EU on an association agreement. The Moldavian prime minister is hoping for “significant progress” to be made in these negotiations by 5 May, when the EU-Moldavia Cooperation Council takes place.
Transnistria. Barroso also called on the Moldavian government to do its best to resolve the problem of Transnistria during the “5+2” talks. The president of the Commission said that the EU is prepared to help resolve this issue “but it is not us that will decide”. (H.B./transl.fl)