Commissioner Johannes Hahn meets with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Mr. Tudor Ulianovschi (press statement)
Brussels, 14 February 2018.
Let me recap the main messages I have passed to Minister Ulianovschi at our first encounter today:
- Firstly, the citizens of Moldova can rest assured that the EU remains committed to pursuing political association and economic integration with the Republic of Moldova.
- And the main objective of our efforts to assist Moldova is to achieve tangible improvements in the lives of its citizens.
- But it is for the government of Moldova to implement the key structural reforms needed to secure the benefits of the Association Agreement. Key sectors are judiciary and fight against corruption, media freedom.
- Secondly, as the main donor, the EU remains ready to support Moldova in its reform efforts by providing assistance. However, let me underline, that financial assistance will remain subject to conditionality and will be linked to satisfactory progress in reforms which we will closely monitor and assess.
- Thirdly, I have also stressed that investigations on the banking fraud need to be finalised in an impartial and comprehensive way and without any further delay.
- I have also emphasised our continued support to the peaceful settlement on Transnistria and to the work of the OSCE Chairmanship in Office to this end. We welcome the significant progress made in November, as confirmed in the 5+2 talks in Vienna. We also encourage Moldova to developing a common vision for the conflict resolution.
