The European Parliament (EP) is ready to support Moldova's aspirations to join the EU, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Wednesday while addressing Moldovan President Maia Sandu
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th May, 2022) The European Parliament (EP) is ready to support Moldova's aspirations to join the EU, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said on Wednesday while addressing Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
"So, president, we are also ready to support you as you start the process of applying for candidate status for EU membership. We know that Moldova is looking to us with the sense of purpose. Every country must follow its own path, its own time line, but we must not be afraid to use the power of Europe to improve people's lives, to change generations. This is why, the European Union needs to send a clear and firm political signal, that we recognize the European aspirations of Moldova and your effort in implementing key reforms, that bring your country closer to us," Metsola said during EP plenary session.
Sandu responded by updating the European Parliament on reforms happening in Moldova and asked the EP for help in fighting corruption.
"Today, like never before, the government's commitment to reform institutions is unquestionable and profound. We are well on course toward reforming justice, a too long overdue process. Courts are becoming cleaner, prosecution more professional and impartial. We have eliminated a big number of corruption schemes, through which the state and the people have been robbed in the past. But building independent, strong institutions takes time. I am asking for your help in tackling big corruption," Sandu said.
Moldova applied for the EU membership on March 3, several days after Ukraine made the same request amid the Russian military operation. Moldova received the EU questionnaire in early April.
The country, which is intending to join the European Union, should fulfill the bloc's fundamental requirements (rule of law, civil liberties, abolition of death penalty, parliamentary democracy and others) to start a negotiation process with the bloc and to receive the status of candidate member state at a later stage. The process of sending the questionnaire, receiving the candidate's answers, and the opinion from the European Commission takes approximately a year.
