Many people expected breakthrough decisions and sensational statements from such a large-scale forum. Recently elected Romanian President Nicusor Dan even announced the beginning of negotiations on July 4 between Chisinau and Brussels on joining the EU. However, the next day he himself denied these statements. There were also many hopes about the possible announcement of new financial injections from the EU to Moldova.
But none of this happened. By and large, the summit was routine and usual. A lot of beautiful statements and pathos speeches, but almost complete absence of specifics and novelty.
President Maia Sandu in her welcoming speech nevertheless elevated the status of the event. “The first Moldova-EU summit shows that our country’s accession to the EU is already happening. It is no longer a distant dream or a vague promise. It is a process based on reality and realized step by step with the full support of the European Union and all 27 member states,” she said.
The parties’ 17-point joint declaration covers all areas of interaction. But they merely repeat the repeatedly voiced and extremely generalized formulations:
– the summit marks an important milestone …
– Moldova and the EU are cooperating more closely than ever…
– enlargement is a geostrategic investment in peace, security, stability and prosperity…
– The EU welcomes Moldova’s continued efforts and commitment to implement the reform program…
– Moldova reaffirms its commitment to continue reforms to ensure a justice system that respects the rule of law and guarantees fair access to justice….
And so on. Of course, the Declaration is called that because it merely declares wishes and intentions. Therefore, more specificity could be expected from the Annex to the joint Declaration, which outlines goals and priorities. But even this document is not distinguished by its substance and content, especially in the issues of economic development and interaction.
Moreover, there is no economic component in the goals and priorities of the Declaration at all! But the annex begins with paragraphs on strengthening defense and security, countering propaganda. There are sections on energy and transportation, but they merely state the continuation of those projects and areas of cooperation that have long been in development and have been discussed for years. For example, the construction of interconnecting power lines and joining the EU’s unified transportation network.
In this context, it is natural that during the summit there were many references to Moldova’s growth plan worth 1.9 billion euros, which has long been announced, the agreement has been signed, and the money is even included in the Moldovan budget for this year. The only new thing was Ursula von der Leyen’s statement that the EU is finally ready to pay the first tranche of 270 million euros from this money.
In addition, it was announced that from 2026, Moldovan citizens will not pay for roaming with EU countries. However, the decision on this has yet to be made.
Against the background of all this, the meaning of the summit was disavowed by the country’s President Maia Sandu, who at the end of her speech said: “The European Union is already happening with us. And the only risk is that we will stop. If we decide in the fall that no one can stop us, then everything will be possible. Moldova has everything to succeed. And it will succeed. Because Moldovans in their minds and hearts are already European citizens”.
