Brussels, 26/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - The prime minister of Moldava, Iurie Leanca, announced on Thursday 26 June that his county may lodge an official application in the second half of 2015 to become a member of the European Union. “Therefore our strategy is very clear - to progress now on the implementation of this agreement, to make sure that Moldova is a reliable partner and is acknowledged as a potential partner, a member of the EU, which would mean to recognise Moldova's European perspective. And if everything goes OK, once we win the elections [scheduled for November] and we are able to continue exactly along this path … eventually in the second half of next year during the Latvian Presidency in the EU to apply for membership”, he announced at a European Policy Centre conference. Leanca said that, although some member states are enlargement-weary, Moldova itself was not weary and there was no plan B.
Moldova will sign an association agreement with the EU on Friday 27 June and on Thursday the Moldovan prime minister said that the association agreement was simply an intermediary step in the process of joining the EU. Speaking after the final EU-Moldova Cooperation Council, he said Moldova was ready to become the head of the Eastern Partnership before becoming an official candidate to join the EU. At the EPC conference, Leanca said that signing the association agreement was a very important event but not the end-goal, which is to make Moldova eligible to apply to become a member state
At the Cooperation Council, the EU and Moldova endorsed the EU-Moldova association agenda, a basic document laying down cooperation priorities for the next three years. The Council said that the association agreement would make it possible to considerably deepen relations between the European Union and Moldova and would be of benefit to all international political and trade partners. The Council examined trade questions and implementation of a full free-trade zone. Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas announced that the EU would be endorsing a €64 million aid programme in July for agriculture in Moldova to help the country implement the farm aspects of the association agreement.
Europe stressed the importance of Moldova boosting its efforts to prevent and tackle corruption in all forms and at all levels of society in order to properly reform the justice system, boost the financial sector, ensure transparent media and further improve the business and investment climate. (CG)