France will provide long-term support to Moldova and expects the European Commission to quickly give an opinion on Moldova’s application for EU accession.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated this during a meeting in Paris with Moldovan President Maia Sandu. He noted that their current meeting is taking place in a particularly dramatic context because Russia's aggression against Ukraine poses a threat to the stability of the entire region and Moldova in particular. "The recent incidents in Moldova's Transnistrian region show that we cannot rule out the spread of the conflict to neighboring countries. France remains particularly attentive to the security situation in the region and any encroachment on Moldova's stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity," Macron said. As Ukraine's neighbor, Moldova faced a particularly difficult humanitarian situation and received tens of thousands of refugees, he said. "That is why we will seek bilateral and European solidarity with your country. Through Moldova Support Platform, opened on April 5 in Berlin under the co-chairmanship of France, Germany and Romania, we seek to mobilize our partners, as well as financial institutions, to ensure that Moldova receives all the assistance it needs. The European Union certainly plays an important role in supporting Moldova and has already provided significant humanitarian, financial and human resources assistance with the first deployment of the Frontex agency in Moldova, in which French personnel are also involved," the French President said. He said he also discussed political relations between the European Union and Moldova with Maia Sandu, since our country applied for membership on March 3. "I would like the European Commission to be able to give a quick opinion on this request. In addition, on May 9, in the European Parliament, I proposed a project for a "European Political Community," which aims to create a new framework for structuring cooperation that brings together democratic European countries that adhere to our core values and aspire to join the European Union. This Community is not an alternative to the accession process, but a complement that, independently of it, allows a more rigorous structuring of energy policy and investment relations with the few countries that wish to do so. In any case, I hope that the coming weeks will allow us to give Moldova a clear answer it deserves, given its geopolitical, security and humanitarian situation," said Emmanuel Macron. He confirmed that France's support will be long-term, because the aftermath of the crisis for Moldova will have long-term consequences. "Beyond the current situation, we will continue strengthening our bilateral cooperation for the development of your country," the French President said. //20.05.2022 - InfoMarket.
