Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), Chair of the delegation to EU-Moldova, holds a press conference on the 13th meeting of the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, in the European Parliament, in Brussels.

EU - Moldova (T)

press conference

MUREŞAN, Siegfried (EPP, RO)

POPŞOI, Mihai

Moldova's application for EU membership (T)

Press conference by Siegfried MUREŞAN (EPP, RO), Chair of the delegation to EU-Moldova on the 13th meeting of the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. I would like to welcome and journalists here in the room, but also following us online, including further from the Republic of Moldova. I have a pleasure of welcoming today and tomorrow here in the European Parliament, a distinguished delegation from the Republic of Moldova, chaired by and led by Mihai POPŞOI, who is the vice president of the Moldovan Parliament.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, We are going to meet in the framework of the EU Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee. That is the gathering of the European Parliament and of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. Our objective is to further strengthen ties between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. Why are we meeting and what is on our agenda today?

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, We are meeting because the Republic of Moldova is now officially an EU candidate country. It has expressed its will to become a member State of the European Union. We have jointly decided to grant the Republic of Moldova EU candidate status and we have embarked on the road on further strengthening the ties between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, We are also meeting these days here in Brussels to show the European support for the Republic of Moldova, to signal that we are following the situation in the Republic of Moldova. We are very well aware of all of the progress made by Moldovan authorities towards further integration with the European Union. We are also aware of permanent attempts to destabilise and provoke in the Republic of Moldova. The European Parliament is following these very closely.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, We are also aware of the fact that security risks for the Republic of Moldova and for EU member states are the same and they are common. We are also aware of the fact that in order to live in safety and stability within the borders of the European Union, we need to be surrounded in our immediate neighbourhood by countries which are safe and stable. And this is why the security of the Republic of Moldova is also in the fundamental interest of the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, This is why we are going to work together to further strengthen security at the eastern border of the European Union, including in the in the Republic of Moldova. What are we going to do today and tomorrow? We are going to hold an official meeting of the Parliamentary Association Committee, which I expect to end with the joint document of conclusions, which will become a formal position of our Parliamentary Association committee.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Such conclusions are important because one year ago, in April 2022, under the leadership of Mr. POPŞOI and myself in the previous meeting of our Parliamentary Association Committee, which took place then in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. It was for the first time that we wrote in a document of an institution of the European Union that we called on the Republic of Moldova receiving EU candidate status. That was then confirmed by a resolution of the European Parliament and then confirmed by the European Council.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, So what we are doing here has proven to be relevant and important in the past. What are we going to propose as joint conclusions to be adopted tomorrow? Firstly, we are going to propose that the European Commission provides the Republic of Moldova even more technical support and technical assistance for implementing the important reforms that the Moldovan Government is in the process of implementing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, And as soon as these reforms are being implemented, we need to give the Republic of Moldova the perspective on what is next. And I believe the next step should be in the start of EU accession negotiations as soon as possible. Upon the fulfilment of the nine recommendations put forward by the European Commission for the Government of Moldova in the last year. So firstly, working on the European perspective.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Secondly, sanctions for Moldovan oligarchs who are destabilising. The situation in the Republic of Moldova. We are very well aware that in the past there were attempts to capture the Moldovan state, to influence political decisions, to influence businesses and to influence the press, the free press, to influence the independence of the media.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Those people who were also part of acts of corruption, of money laundering, serving Russian interests and trying in the past to weaken the Moldovan state, trying now to provoke in view of destabilising, they are a risk to the people of Moldova. They pose a risk to the European Union and they should be sanctioned by the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, There was a proposal made by ministers of foreign affairs of the Republic of Moldova and Romania in the Council several weeks ago, which has gathered support of several EU Member States right now. I expect us as a Parliament and as a Parliamentary association committee, to also demand the extension of the EU sanctions list.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, We're going to talk about the economy and the financial support for the Republic of Moldova. And I can tell you that as the member responsible for the macro financial assistance to the Republic of Moldova in the Budgets Committee at the Parliament, I will put forward next week, Tuesday, the legislative position of the Parliament on granting the Republic of Moldova €145 million macro financial assistance.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, This was proposed by the European Commission some weeks ago. We need to adopt it here in Parliament. I will put forward the proposal of the Parliament next week. Our objective is to adopt this fast by May of this year so that money can reach the Republic of Moldova over the course of this year when it's needed. We will discuss about further enlarging trade because the Republic of Moldova should know it can rely on European markets now and always in the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Moldovan products have a place in European markets. We are economically interlinked very much and the Republic of Moldova should know its products are welcomed here on the European markets. To conclude, we are also going to see together how we can further strengthen our efforts in the area of security, because security risks are the same.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, For the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. Very often the Republic of Moldova is at maximum a transit country for smuggling. And very often the target is ourselves within the European Union. We need to make sure that Moldovan authorities, which have worked very which have worked decisively to protect Moldovan borders, that they can work well together with authorities from EU member states, that we have good exchange of information so that we can tackle risks.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, The European Union is launching a security hub in the Republic of Moldova. We need to make sure that we are allocating enough financial resources. We need to make sure that Member States, Commission are also cooperating with Moldovan authorities to make that security hub work.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, Last element The Republic of Moldova and the European Union are working closer together than ever. The Republic of Moldova has clearly expressed its interest to join the European Union, and we have the obligation to provide all support that we can to the Republic of Moldova. This is why, as Parliament, we are also calling upon the European Commission.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, To create in its Directorate-General for Neighbourhood, a special unit dedicated to the Republic of Moldova, which would reflect the new status which the Republic of Moldova has as an EU candidate country. The Republic of Moldova cannot be tweeted together with countries which are lagging behind: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia. The European Commission has created a special directorate within DG Neighbourhood for Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Siegfried MUREŞAN, MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, This is very good. We are all supporting it. But a separate structure, equal in ambition in the form of a unit needs to be created also for the Republic of Moldova to reflect its new status as an EU candidate country and the closer than ever relations that we have. This is a bit the plan ahead of us for the next two days. Mr. President, once again, welcome to the European Parliament. We are looking forward to fruitful discussions with you.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, Thank you, Mr. Mureșan, dear representatives of the media, dear citizens watching us by home. I am honoured to be leading the Moldovan delegation at Parliamentary Association Committee. This is the time where we take stock of the successes achieved and also take stock of the challenges that the Republic of Moldova is facing in its current circumstances.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, I would like to begin by thanking my dear friend, the co-chair of the Parliamentary Session Committee, Mr. Mureşan, who is one of the biggest proponents of the Republic of Moldova and the biggest advocates of Republic of Moldova's advances towards European Union membership.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, We are truly honoured to have such friends in the European Parliament. We can only hope that, in this year, the European Union, the Member States and the European Commission, the Council and the Parliament, where we have significant support, will reciprocate us in our efforts in taking Moldova a step further towards its ultimate goal that the citizens have established in the previous election of membership in the European Union.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, We will do our utmost to do what needs to be done, particularly fulfilling those nine conditionalities, nine commitments, to start negotiations. Because the current challenges that the Republic of Moldova is going through and the challenges are substantial and multiple, starting from the post-COVID adjustment of the war in Ukraine, the hybrid war that the Russian Federation is waging on us and internal disturbances and attempts by fugitive oligarchs to destabilise the situation in the Republic of Moldovam; while trying to evade justice, on the one hand and, on the other hand, doing the bidding of the Russian Federation and its hybrid tactics in the Republic of Moldova.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, Thankfully, we have a robust majority in Parliament and the Republic of Moldova. We have the strong leadership of President Songdo and the now new Prime Minister, Mr. Recean, who has significant background in the security sector, being previously the head of the National Security Council. We are doing everything to not only maintain stability in the Republic of Moldova, but also to carry through with important reforms.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, At first, among those reforms, is the reform of the justice sector. We understand full well and we have learned from experience of the last 30 years, a rather tragic experience I must admit, that without a properly functioning judiciary, without an independent judiciary, without meaningfully combating corruption, it's very hard, if not impossible, to achieve not only democratic consolidation, but also to achieve economic development.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, Investors, both foreign and Moldovan nationals, would really struggle to invest in a country where the judiciary is a bidding game and we have committed strongly to carry through with justice reform, despite the very strong opposition bordering on sabotage from within the judiciary. Thankfully, again, we have this robust majority. We have clarity as to what needs to be done and we have the support of our good friends in the European Union on the bilateral level, also on the multilateral level, to carry through with these important reforms.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, As I mentioned, we are on track on completing in time in due course those nine items of conditionality, with the only caveat being that there is some unclarity to when it comes to the item regarding the oligarchization. We see that the Ukrainian and the Georgian experience in implementing the laws on judicial acquisition are not exactly achieving the goal and they are being criticised by the Council of Europe.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, So, we are looking to clarify what we need to do in order to avoid those shortcomings that have already been voice and flagged by all partners. We remain committed to solidify Moldovan democracy, to provide Moldovan citizens the democratic norms, rules and values that they have voted for. But we also need to be aware that we need to maintain macro financial stability.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, This is what the fugitive oligarchs and the Russian hybrid tactics are trying to exploit. Ironically, it is the very oligarchs who are now fugitive from justice who have left Moldovan society popularised, and now they are exploiting the poverty that they have left behind in an incredible display of cynicism. But thankfully, the Moldovan institutions are robust enough to withstand this pressure.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, Thanks to all support from the European Union, including the security hub that is being created now in the Republic of Moldova and the civilian mission that will come to the Republic of Moldova, announced recently by Mr. Borrell, is going to provide that impetus to provide the citizens the assurances that the Republic of Moldova is not alone. And we have seen that, and we see that every day, that, as the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

SOUNDBITE (English), Mihai POPŞOI, Deputy Speaker of Moldova's Parliament, And certainly, Mr. Mureșan is a great friend of the Republic of Moldova, and I'd like to thank him for his steadfast support of Moldova, the European Union, the Member States, for their generosity, the European taxpayers, who are helping the Republic of Moldova to withstand the pressures that we are facing. I am sure that together with our friends and partners, the Republic of Moldova will not only carry on, but will also achieve the goals that our citizens have set for us. And chief among those goals is advancing on our European integration aspirations. Thank you.

Q&A, Question regarding on the sanctions in Moldova.

Q&A, Question regarding on the problems of corruption in Moldova.

Q&A, Question regarding on the neutrality of Moldova for become a member of the NATO and second question regards on the minorities that support Russia.

Q&A, Question regarding the nine recommendations from the European Commission. Second question regarding the trading relations between the EU and Moldova.

Q&A, Question regarding on the 145 million of euros for when been approved it.