Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, gave an interview for the FES/APE foreign policy newsletter in which we discussed Moldova’s European course and the obstacles that stand in the way of this goal. We also talked about attempts by foreign actors to interfere in the country’s domestic politics and how resilient state institutions have become in the face of these threats. Last but not least, we touched on this year’s parliamentary elections. Read the full interview, published in the Foreign Policy Association and FriedrichEbert-Stiftung Newsletter, below:

March marked three years since Moldova applied to join the EU. This was against the extremely troubled backdrop of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. What progress has Moldova made since then, bearing in mind that the whole process is taking place at breakneck speed compared to the accession path of some countries that are now EU members or aspiring members in the Balkans?

Of course, we have had to catch up from the gaps accumulated over the last three decades, but in parallel with this process and the multiple crises we have faced, in only three years we have managed not only to achieve candidate status, but also to launch accession negotiations in June 2024.

Moreover, despite unprecedented external interference, through the democratic will of our citizens we have anchored the objective of European integration in the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova. We still have work to do, but it is a good start.

At what stage of the European journey are we today and what are the main issues we are currently working on and the main objectives?

We are halfway through the process of screening national legislation – a huge effort involving dozens of institutions responsible for preparing country presentations. This year we also hope to start negotiations on thematic groups of chapters, so-called clusters. In parallel, we are strengthening the capacities of the institutions to be able to complete the remaining steps until accession as efficiently as possible.

Increased resilience

What is the feedback from Brussels on the reforms you are currently carrying out? Is the EU satisfied with the progress we are making?

In these years we have strengthened our energy security and, with European support, we will make sure that Russia can never again use energy as a weapon or a blackmail tool against our people. We have also succeeded in strengthening the capacities of the institutions that ensure public order, citizen security, border protection, so that our country is less vulnerable.

The digitization and accessibility of public services continues and the burden of red tape has been significantly reduced. Changes are also taking place in the justice system which are first and foremost for the benefit of the people –- for there is no honest citizen in this country who would not want equality before the law and for thieves to go to jail.

We would not have gotten here if we had not shown good faith, if we had not carried out real reforms and not faked them, as has happened so many times in the past. In the same way, the Growth Plan for Moldova – the largest economic support programme in the history of our country – is, above all, proof of the trust that the European Union has in us and of Brussels’ desire to have us on its side as a Member State.

Political corruption as a vulnerability

What are the chapters where things are going more slowly or where do we have certain backlogs? Is justice one of them? What can we do to improve the pace of reform in this problematic sector?

It is difficult to talk in terms of ‘slow’ or ‘backlog’. There are areas (such as fisheries) which were previously very little regulated, for objective reasons, but also areas where European legislation is much more present (environment, agriculture). In a number of areas, the regulatory area is somewhat narrower, i.e. there will not even be much need for adaptation. So it would not be right to make a distinction between pupils who pass and those who fail. I assure you that work is going on in all the institutions involved – from morning to evening, Monday to Sunday.

Justice, for its part, is an extremely complex chapter and, as we saw in last year’s referendum, political corruption is a very serious threat to our democracy. There is even a risk that the will of the people will be undermined by those who believe that votes can be bought and that it is absolutely normal to buy them. As you know, adjustments have been made at the level of the institutions responsible for fighting corruption, we are going ahead with the vetting of prosecutors.

De facto, this complex reform is in process – and we will continue on this path to ensure that corrupt elements will no longer have a place in the system. This is the only way citizens will be able to regain their trust in justice and in having their rights protected.

Can we negotiate with the EU to take over funding on certain projects previously supported by USAID? Is the EU willing to help the Republic of Moldova in this regard? Have you discussed this with Brussels?

Of course, we would like the halted projects to be resumed with the support of the US or other international partners, with whom we are in talks to fill the temporary gap, we hope. But I emphasize that the US remains an important partner for the Republic of Moldova and we value the transatlantic relationship.

How are the negotiations and the lobbying we are doing in several European capitals? Some countries are still reluctant about Moldova’s accession. How are you tackling these possible challenges?

The decision to launch accession negotiations with our country has been unanimously approved by the 27 Member States, so I don’t think we can talk about reluctance. The success of this journey depends, as I said before, largely on what we do at home. And what we want is to be assessed on our own merits, to be able to join when we are ready.

Strong partnerships

Are you discussing with your partners in Europe, including Romania, to send more specialists who could lend a helping hand and boost Moldova’s European integration process with their expertise?

We already benefit from the support of experts from many Member States as well as the EU institutions. We also have very good collaborations with colleagues from other candidate countries. But our needs evolve according to the stage we are at. We are pleased that our partners are also showing flexibility and adapting to these needs.

How are we doing on human resources? Do we have enough civil servants in the state institutions for an effective European course? Are they sufficiently motivated and trained to carry out these not easy tasks?

We have very good colleagues here at home. They are dedicated people who understand very well the historic mission they have been entrusted with – to complete the most important project of transformation and modernization of the country. Of course, there is always room for improvement.

But other candidate countries had the same starting point and I am convinced that we will reach an even higher level. We are working on a training plan for civil servants and partners are helping us to make sure that our institutions are ready for the tasks ahead.

Vote crucial for the future

How important is it for the Republic of Moldova to have continuity for a new electoral cycle in terms of the work done for EU membership – de facto, to have a pro-European majority after the parliamentary elections? Otherwise, could we miss this historic opportunity that we have - to join the EU in the set timeframe of 2030?

It is essential to have truly proEuropean forces in government, which come to power exclusively through the honest vote of the people. The fact that there are leaders who openly declare in their public messages that they want a different geopolitical path shows how much they themselves respect the Constitution of the country they claim to respect and defend. And others claim to support European integration, having boycotted the democratic referendum exercise.

Elections in 2025 are not just for the next four years, but for the next decades – that is why it is crucial to vote for those political forces that have proven by deeds that they are committed to taking our country into the European Union.

Thank you!