Four parties in Moldova announced the creation of a political bloc “Together” and signed a pact in support of European integration, calling on other political forces to follow their example.
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The Moldovan parties Dignity and Truth Platform (DA), Coalition for Unity and Welfare (CUB), the socio-political movement League of Cities and Communities (LOC) and the Party of Change announced on Sunday the creation of a single political bloc.
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“Starting today, we are switching to one name. The Together political bloc is designed to guarantee Moldova’s European course, neutralize the political risks we face, and unite society,” Stefan Gligor, leader of the Party of Change, said at a briefing.
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According to him, members of the new bloc also approved the draft “Pact for Europe” and signed a document created “for all healthy political forces that are ready to support Moldova’s European path.” The text of the pact will be transmitted to “all political parties and all entities interested in promoting this national idea” so that they also express support for the European integration process.
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“We, the signatories of this declaration, consider the expression of national unity on the issue of European integration as a test for the entire political class. We declare with all conviction that no one should claim a monopoly in the field of European integration. The signatories of the Pact for Europe call “The authorities and the opposition consider democratic pluralism as the fundamental rule in the process of European integration, accept the goal of European integration of Moldova and condemn any aggression and military occupation,” the document says.
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The EU summit on December 14 decided to launch negotiations on future membership of the European Union with Ukraine and Moldova. In June 2022, the EU granted EU candidate country status to Ukraine and Moldova, setting several strict conditions for the formal start of accession negotiations. The EU has repeatedly admitted that such a decision was largely symbolic in order to support Kyiv and Chisinau in their confrontation with Moscow.
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The status of an EU candidate country, as well as the start of negotiations, does not necessarily mean that the country will join the European Union; these steps also do not oblige Brussels to anything. Obtaining candidate status is only the beginning of a rather long journey towards joining the EU. Turkey has been in candidate status since 1999, and has been “conducting” membership negotiations with the EU since 2005, North Macedonia has been a candidate since 2005, Montenegro since 2010, Serbia since 2012. Croatia was the last country to join the EU in 2013; the process took 10 years.
