The Republic of Moldova is at a crucial juncture. As of 2022, the Republic of Moldova has been granted the status of a candidate state to join the European Union (EU). The effective start of accession negotiations will also speed up the reform process that will bring Moldovan society into the big European family. Moldova’s accession is supported by the vast majority of Romanians and the accession efforts are supported by the Romanian Royal Family.
This process requires serious efforts. It took Romania seven years from the start of accession negotiations until actual accession. Transformations and reforms have continued and are continuing for Romania, as for other European countries. This is because the European Union is a living organisation, which continues to adapt to the new geopolitical context and to face the challenges arising at international level.
There are international experts who estimate that the Republic of Moldova will also need seven years to effectively join the EU.
The European Commission’s assessments show that, at this stage, Moldova could conclude only one or two chapters and the 30 that need to be negotiated with experts in Brussels.
It’s a realistic estimate, but one that offers hope. There is a Chinese proverb which says that the longest road in the world begins with the first step. And starting accession negotiations and establishing a roadmap for the Republic of Moldova means three important things.
The first is that Moldova’s European course will be clarified. Moldovan society and the authorities in Chișinău will know what they have to do and, above all, how they have to carry out the reforms that need to be implemented.
The second important thing is that the European authorities will begin to finance the reforms they are calling for very seriously. There are seven major financial instruments such as PHARE, SAPARD, SAMTID or ISPA which have been successfully tested in the accession process of the Central and Eastern European countries which were occupied by Soviet Russia and communised.
The third important factor is that the reforms that will be implemented will change the lives of Moldovan citizens for the better. These reforms will also help to close the development gap between Moldova and the other states of the European Union.
