On 3 March 2022, the Republic of Moldova formally applied to join the European Union amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The relations between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova are closer than ever. Financial assistance packages, cooperation on an ambitious reform agenda and multiple close contacts between EU leaders and the pro-European authorities in Chișinău: all these are concrete signs that the Republic of Moldova is committed to a European future.
Our answer to Moldova’s EU membership bid must be: 'Yes, let us get to work'.
Security outside the EU is security inside the EU
We can only live in security within the borders of the 27 EU Member States if neighbouring countries are safe, stable, and prosperous. The Republic of Moldova is therefore as important as Ukraine to the security of the European Union. I have re-iterated this constantly in the European Parliament in past years.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Union now understands better than ever the important role of Moldova to our collective security.
Imagine for a second that, in addition to Lukashenko in Belarus, Putin would also be backed by a pro-Russian President in Moldova. This would significantly worsen the security not just of Ukraine, but of the whole EU.
Fortunately, the Republic of Moldova is led by a pro-European President, a pro-European Government, and a transparent pro-European majority in the Parliament. The authorities in Chișinău have started to implement a series of pro-European reforms, much called for by the Moldovan citizens.
This is also good news for the European Union. Strong, democratic neighbours lead to a safer, more stable EU.
European spirit, united in solidarity
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, both the authorities in Chişinău and the Moldovan citizens have acted in a true European spirit: they opened their borders and homes to more than 400 000 refugees from Ukraine, more refugees per capita than any other EU member state. They provided them with water, food and shelter. Moldova genuinely acted according to European values and principles.
However, all the efforts to help Ukrainian refugees come at a great cost to Moldova. This small country had already been facing two major crises before the start of the war: the rising energy prices and the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EU must stand in solidarity with the Moldova. We must support common democratic values.
We already adopted in the European Parliament a €150 million macro-financial assistance package aiming to ease the burden on the country’s public finances and accelerate important reforms. Moreover, the European Commission announced just last week an additional budgetary support of €53 million.
Other partners are also providing valuable assistance to Moldova. At the donors' conference in Berlin last week, 30 countries pledged a total of €695 million in financial support.
All this is very good news. Moldova needs grants and budgetary support to help the economy recover and enable the implementation of additional reforms. Assistance is also needed to help vulnerable groups of the population and to address the refugee crisis.
EU Membership application – the path forward
With closer ties than ever with the European Union, with a strong commitment towards a European path, Moldova applied for EU membership.
We share the same fundamental and democratic values. We share the same European spirit. We all stand to gain from Moldova joining the EU.
I call for including the Republic of Moldova in the European Single Market. This would lead to additional investments in Moldova, a stronger economy and a consolidated EU accession process. At the same time, integrating Moldova in the Single Market would bring benefits to the EU and its citizens as well: a new market for EU goods and services and a wider choice for EU consumers when it comes to quality Moldovan goods. This is why our response to Moldova’s membership bid must be: 'Yes, we welcome you, let’s get to work'.
Obviously, the path to EU membership requires many steps to be taken by both Moldova and the European Union, but we must get to work now if this is to become reality
MEP Siegfried Mureșan chairs the EU/Moldova parliamentary delegation