Press statement by President von der Leyen with Moldovan President Sandu

Thank you very much, dear Maia,

It is always a pleasure for me to come and see you here in Chișinău. I can feel Europe's pulse beating here. Moldova has shown time and again how vibrantly European it is. And you have shown time and again how personally committed you are to the accession path of your country to the European Union. There is a big milestone ahead for the people of Moldova. Citizens will soon go to the polls to decide sovereignly whether to anchor Moldova's European future in your constitution. I encourage Moldovans to use their vote and express their free choice. It is for you, the Moldovans, to decide. It is your sovereign choice what to do with your country, and no one can interfere. Of course, speaking as President of the European Commission, I believe that Moldova's place is in our European Union.

Since you were granted candidate status in June 2022, you have made remarkable progress. You completed very important steps forward. You have initiated important justice reforms. You have intensified the fight against corruption. And you have worked hard to loosen the grip of oligarchs on your economy and society. All of this demonstrates your attachment to our common values. Values of respect for democracy and the rule of law.

The second key dimension is your economic integration in our Union. I have come here to emphasise that your economy and our Single Market should come closer. And we can start right now, even before you join our Union.

Dear Maia,

I know that you have an ambitious economic plan for Moldova. And the European Union will support it. We believe that we can help you double the size of your economy in a decade. That means good jobs and a better quality of life for Moldovans. Our support to you is built on three pillars. First, we invest. We will invest EUR 1.8 billion in your economy over the next three years. And we will focus these investments on sectors that will generate economic growth and public services. There is already a good pipeline of projects. We will renovate schools, for example. We will build two new hospitals, in Bălți and Cahul. We will invest in better connections in your country, and with your neighbours – like the road between Chișinău, Iași and Odesa, or bridges over the Prut river. We will also invest in your energy network, with powerlines that connect you to the European grid. And finally, we will roll out broadband internet throughout the country. Second, we will open doors to more areas of our Single Market to Moldovan companies. For example, you will have access to the Single Payments Area. This will enable secure and faster transfers of money and minimal fees, which is good for business. This will provide more financial opportunities for your SMEs.

Third, we support your reform efforts – the reforms you want to undertake to modernise your economy. For example, improving your business environment, making your energy sector ready for the green transition, and train people for the jobs of tomorrow.

Dear Maia,

Moldova, like all our European countries, has gone through difficult times, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of Russia's war on Ukraine. I know that Moldovans are strong, resilient and that they will power through. Rest assured that the European Union stands firmly by Moldova's side. We stood by your side during the pandemic. We delivered more than 600,000 doses of vaccines. We helped you deal with the arrivals of Ukrainians fleeing Putin's war. We helped stabilise your electricity grid by connecting it to ours, as you were just describing. And now we will be by your side as you steer your economy on the path to growth and prosperity. So, dear Maia, we are with Moldova and its brave and hard-working people. And we will be with Moldova every step on your path to the European Union.

Thank you very much.

Related media