​EU DIPLOMATS HIGHLIGHT EaP’S POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON MOLDOVA

Diplomats from Sweden, the Czech Republic and Poland have positively assessed the influence of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership Program on Moldova’s development.

Marcin Przydacz, the Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland, said at the international conference on the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership held in Chisinau on Wednesday that this anniversary means not only a celebration but also a considerable reserve for future hard work.

“We must raise the efficiency of our joint work and demonstrate a close cooperation and approximation between EU and EaP countries. The Eastern Partnership is indeed one of the most successful initiatives that has brought about positive changes into this region. This can be traced on the example of Moldova, too, which has essentially changed over the past decade, having achieved successes. But the available potential has not yet been exhausted, and it has to be built up”, said the Polish diplomat.

Marcin Przydacz underlined that all EaP countries are free to choose a cooperation format: some are viewing it in the process of a deeper political integration, where the European Union and NATO stand as guarantors of membership in the European family of nations, while other – in a closer economic interaction.

“The key priority for all EaP countries is the implementation of reforms. We want to see it in all spheres ranging from the political one – in adopting of democratic standards, to struggle against corruption and observance of citizens’ rights and freedoms. The European Union can underpin the EaP participants in this process, but the main responsibility for reform implementation is all the same on the shoulders of the countries themselves”, he said.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Czech Republic to Moldova Zdenek Krejci said that the promotion of the EaP idea was one of priority tasks for his country in the course of its Presidency in 2009, and the EaP Constituent Summit was held in Prague.

“We constantly shared experience with Moldova in the process of reforms, attaching priority significance to changes in the structure of public administration and to regional development. This cooperation will be continued in the future as well because the EU and EaP countries are interested in a peaceful democratic development and in trans-border cooperation, and these principles make our interaction yet closer”, said the Ambassador.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Moldova Anna Liberg underscored the unique character of the EaP format as an instrument of cooperation between countries.

“The Eastern Partnership is indeed a success. Over the past 10 years we have managed to make much for this region: we have worked out a uniform policy and have consolidated the cooperation based on the fundamental principles and norms of the international law. Considerable steps such as conclusion of the Association Agreement with EU and visa regime liberalization are proving how closer the EU and EaP have become to each other. The EaP format has proved its flexibility and ability to respond to challenges, and it should be further developing”, said Ambassador Anna Liberg.