CHISINAU, June 21. /TASS/. Moldovan President Maia Sandu has signed a decree on launching talks on the country’s accession to the European Union which will begin in Luxembourg on June 25.

The press service added that Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov has been designated as the main negotiator on behalf of the Republic of Moldova.

In June 2022, EU leaders, on recommendations by the European Commission (EC) granted EU candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova. The EC recommended launching talks on the accession with these countries in November 2023. This March, the Brussels summit participants did not name any specific dates but welcomed the candidates’ progress on this track.

On June 14, the Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union said that permanent representatives from 27 EU countries coordinated launching talks on accepting Moldova and Ukraine on June 25.