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Moldova not ready for applying for EU membership — EU ambassador

According to latest opinion polls, the number of those who support the idea of Moldova’s integration into the European Union has shrunk from 70 to 45% in the recent years

© ITAR-TASS/Vadim Denisov

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Moldova not to apply for EU membership at Eastern Partnership summit — foreign minister

CHISINAU, March 30. /TASS/. Moldova is not ready to apply for European Union membership, Pirkka Tapiola, the head of the Europea Union delegation to Moldova, said on Monday.

Presenting a European Commission’s ENP (European Neighbourhood Policy) Progress Report for Moldova 2014, he said the Moldovan government should demonstrate bigger commitment to reforms to bring the republic closer to the European Union. Also, he said, consensus in society is needed on that matter. So, in his words, it is too early to speak about applying for the European Union membership, the more so as, corruption is still one of the country’s key problems.

Sandals in the banking sphere, in his words, testify to the necessity of increasing transparency and efficiency of oversight in the financial and banking sector. He recommended the Moldovan authorities to invigorate reforms of law enforcement agencies and judicial bodies, as well as to amend the constitution to avoid recurrence of political crises like the one when after the parliamentary elections of 2009 Moldovan lawmakers were failing to elect a president for several years.

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Another problem of Moldova, which signed an association agreement with the European Union last year, according to Brussels, is the protracting Transdniestrian conflict. Tapiola called on Chisinau to exert more efforts towards a dialogue with Tiraspol to find a mutually acceptable format of common future.

According to latest opinion polls, the number of those who support the idea of Moldova’s integration into the European Union has shrunk from 70 to 45% in the recent years, while the number of those who favour Moldova’s joining the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan has exceeded 44% and is still growing. The un-recognized republic of Transdniestria and Moldova’s autonomous region of Gagauzia are also against integration into the European Union. More than 90% of people living in these entities voted in favour of closer relations with Russia and integration in the Customs Union at local referendums.

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