Toespraak Commissievoorzitter Barroso bij bezoek Moldavische minister-president

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It was a pleasure to receive Prime Minister Filat today in Brussels. We have had several occasions of meetings in the last year and in fact last year was a year of progress in the relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union.

I congratulated the Prime Minister on his reappointment. I am confident that his government will build on the substantial progress achieved last year in EU-Moldova relations.

In fact, the Republic of Moldova has been rightly lauded for its recent reform efforts and for its policy of ever closer cooperation with the European Union.

Last year, we achieved a lot in record time:

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  Considerable progress was made towards an Association Agreement;

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  We have a forward-looking dialogue on visa liberalisation;

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  And active preparations are underway towards a free trade area that will give Moldovan businesses unrestricted access to the largest single market in the world - the EU's internal market.

These efforts are bringing very tangible results. The EU is supporting Moldova in practical ways through our technical and financial assistance, which we will continue to step up in the years to come.

This experience has shown that positive, constructive engagement with the European Union generates concrete benefits for the citizens.

In the same vein of constructive cooperation, we expect that Moldova’s political leaders will show a sense of responsibility and compromise to end the current impasse over the election of a President.

Moldova should consolidate its reform momentum. This will allow difficult changes and efforts towards EU integration to go ahead and bear fruit faster. Therefore, the inclusive political discussions launched a few days ago should continue.

I have also reaffirmed to Prime Minister Filat our political will to step up our efforts for the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, in the frame-work of the “5+2” format.

Prime Minister, thank you again for coming to Brussels! I look forward to continuing our cooperation both in bilateral terms as in the wider context of the Eastern Partnership. We know your commitment to this partnership and we once again congratulate you for your reappointment and wish you and your country all the best.