Moldova has asked the EU to increase the macro-financial assistance from 150 million euros to 300 million euros, while its grant component - from 30 million euros to 150 million euros.
This was stated in the adopted final declaration and recommendations of the 11th meeting of the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee, held in Strasbourg on April 6-7. The document praises, among other things, the European Parliament's approval on March 24 of the European Commission's proposal to provide Moldova with 150 million euros in macro-financial assistance to cover part of the country's needs in external funding and appreciates the additional 53 million euros for the budget support program of Moldova, announced by the European Commission on April 5. At the same time, it is stressed that the longer the war in neighboring Ukraine lasts, the more humanitarian aid, security and socio-economic assistance Moldova will need. In this regard, the document calls on the European Commission to increase financial and technical assistance for Moldova and to analyze the possibility of paying in advance in installments and to take into account the request of the Moldovan authorities to increase the recently approved macro-financial assistance operation from 150 million euros to 300 million euros, including an increase from 30 million euros to 150 million euros in grants to help Moldova cover the significant budget deficit caused by this crisis. It is stressed that such an increase in macro-financial assistance is necessary as the current amounts were determined before the military conflict in Ukraine. According to the press service of the Parliament, the document addresses the consequences of Russia's unprovoked and unjustified military aggression against Ukraine; Moldova's application for EU membership; strengthening EU-Moldova relations and implementing an ambitious reform program; the economic difficulties faced by Moldova, in particular the consequences of the artificially created gas supply crisis; the epidemiological crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the EU Economic Recovery Plan for Moldova; a peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian problem; and the economic crisis in Moldova. In particular, the signatories welcome the solidarity and support given by the Moldovan authorities, as well as Moldovan citizens to Ukrainian refugees, and call on the European Commission to further increase financial and technical assistance to Moldova. The European institutions are invited to work on granting Moldova candidate status for EU membership under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, and in the meantime, to speed up Moldova's gradual integration into the EU single market. It is also noted that on November 29, 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the European Parliament and the Moldovan Parliament on a common framework of support for parliamentary democracy. The document stresses the important role that the Moldova-EU Parliamentary Association Committee can play in promoting close cooperation and supporting reforms in Moldova and monitoring their implementation. // 07.04.2022 – InfoMarket
