Chisinau, 19/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 17 September, the co-chair of CORLEAP and mayor of Moldovan capital Chisinau, Dorin Chirtoaca, said that the EU is an alternative to the influence of the former Soviet Union and that, for this reason, European funds are needed. “We need more possibilities to bring projects to the citizens to convince them that the European Union is a better offer than any other”, he said at the meeting of the Conference of the Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP). “Let's not forget that on another side, the former USSR is building a sphere of influence, an opportunity for the former countries of the USSR”, he added, speaking of attractive prices for gas and services. Chirtoaca therefore called on the EU to be more concrete, saying that there was “lots of discussion and lack of results for citizens”. “Existing instruments are not sufficient to make efficient participation of countries in EU integration, especially local authorities”, he said.
Replying to a question from EUROPE on the European future of the Eastern Partnership countries, Chirtoaca insisted on European projects and on European presence at local and regional level. He also said that these countries must gradually achieve better relations with the EU and its members. He is hoping for a visa-free system and also the chance of free trade. “Afterwards we will be able to speak of integration, but it is difficult and always a long process, and lots of work remains to be done”, he added.
In the opinion of Nataniel Copsey, from the Aston Center for Europe, if the Eastern Partnership works and complete and deep free trade areas are established, there is no reason for the European Council to reject an EU accession request. He also said that European integration is not only done at the national level but also at the local level.
European Commissioner for International Cooperation Kristalina Georgieva spoke of the importance of progress at the local and regional level - the level closest to the citizen and the one most suitable for bringing the benefits of integration to citizens. “Only such engagement bottom up can achieve the main objective: to come closer to political association and economic integration”, she said. (CG/transl.fl)