EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DELEGATION LEADER SAYS EU WILL BACK NEW GOVERNMENT'S AMBITIOUS PLANS...

The visit of the European Parliamentarians to Chisinau is a signal of the European Union's support for the ambitious plan of reforms stated by the new Government of Moldova, stated the delegation head, Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala (Finland), a Member of the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance.

Speaking at a final press briefing on the results of the visit on Monday, Heidi Hautala said that the European Union is expressing its full support to the new Government of Moldova and its reform agenda. However, she underlined the complexity of this process, whose success depends largely on a full consensus between the political parties concerned.

"Moldova needs a reform of the judiciary system, de-politicization of state institutions, a change of the electoral legislation, and independent mass media. The reforms should promote inter alia the overcoming of the society split that has appeared here lately", said the European lawmaker.

Heidi Hautala also expressed full support for the Venice Commission conclusions on the recent decisions of the Moldovan Constitutional Court, which should abide by the standards used in the world legal practice.

"The European Union stands ready to help Moldova ensure a proper dialog between parliamentary parties. The Union's backing will depend on the concrete steps to be made by the Moldovan Government to meet citizens' expectations. The European Union is committed to the idea of implementation of reforms, for this is only how we can open a road into the future for Moldova. And the EU shall back all subsequent steps in this direction", stated the Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament.

...AND BELIEVES GOVERNING COALITION HAS NO DIFFERENCES OVER ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT

The governing coalition in Moldova [formed by the Party of Socialists and the political bloc ACUM] has no differences over the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, believes Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala.

She said at the press briefing in Chisinau on Monday that the governing coalition representatives have decided to give up the practice of imitating the reforms [the previous leadership's habit], stipulated in the Association Agreement, in favor of real and concrete steps.

Commenting on the conversation she held today with the head of the parliamentary Democratic faction Pavel Filip, Heidi Hautala remarked the former Prime Minister is getting used to the new reality of being in the opposition.

"The opposition can well play a constructive role and be an important force in conducting of a state policy", remarked the European parliamentarian.

Commenting on the possible de-frosting of the European Union's macro-financial assistance to Moldova presumably by the upcoming autumn, Heidi Hautala called this "quite realistic a scenario" because the main reason of the assistance suspension - lack of progress in reforms - has been eliminated. "The Eastern Partnership countries are undergoing an extremely interesting process. Starting from Armenia, this area has come to have a wave of democratization, whose main driving force is the people's political will to have country authorities that would not be linked with oligarchs' interests.