Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov
According to former Environment Minister and national leader of the Green Agenda project Iordanca-Rodica Iordanov, upon joining the EU, Moldova will have to decide ‘what to do with the left bank of the Dniester.’
‘The issue is from an environmental point of view, not an economic one. With European integration, we have to decide what to do with the left bank — whether we join with or without it. From an environmental point of view, especially in terms of water, air and the system of documents — authorisation — it will be quite difficult,’ Iordanov said on Realitatea TV.
The former minister added that a transition period is possible for some enterprises, as was the case in other countries when they joined the EU.
“Countries that joined the European Union and had large enterprises demanded concessions for these enterprises — a transition period. We will also be able to request a certain transition period for certain enterprises that will not be ready by 2028. We will be able to do that. But the question is: we need to understand for which enterprises we can do this and what we are doing with the enterprises on the left bank.”
At the same time, Iordanov stressed that if no agreement is reached on the enterprises on the left bank, the state will be obliged to close them and completely restore the environment.
“And if we cannot reach an agreement on these enterprises during the negotiations, then at the time of accession to the European Union, we will be given some more time — a year, two, three. Then we will be forced to close them. But closure means that the state must ensure the quality of the soil, water and air at the time of closure. This is a very difficult process. And it will not be possible to simply mothball them as they are — it will be necessary to restore the quality of the soil, water and everything else,” concluded Iordanka-Rodiсa Iordanov.
