CHISINAU (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st March, 2021) Moldova's ex-prime minister, Ion Chicu, said on Wednesday that he plans to form and register the pro-European Party of Development and Unification of Moldova.
"Together with many of our colleagues, we have created an initiative group to form and register Party of Development and Unification of Moldova. The main aim of the political party is to develop and modernize our country, consolidating and unifying our society on the way toward the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union," Chicu said on Telegram.
According to Chicu, Moldova's integration into the EU is the only opportunity to save the statehood, improve living standards and modernize the country as well as settle the Transnistrian conflict.
Chicu was a finance minister from December 2018 - June 2019. He was appointed as a prime minister in November 2019, but in December 2020 Chicu resigned of his own accord.
In 2014, Moldova and the EU signed the Association agreement that provides free trade between the parties, Moldova's commitment to converge its policies and legislation to the EU standards. Further integration is complicated by many problems, including the issue of Moldova's territorial integrity, as Chishinau de-facto does not rule its formal region of Transnistria.
In addition, Igor Dodon, the former president, said he thought of breaking the treaty with the EU in favor of rapprochement with the Russian-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). In 2018, Moldova received an observer status within the union. Current President Maia Sandu expressed hope to relaunch relations with the EU.
