29th March 2024, Paris - On Thursday, 28th March, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, participated in the conference titled "Rethinking and Reshaping: EU Enlargement in Times of War," organized in Paris by the European Council on Foreign Relations.

During her address, the official discussed Moldova's European trajectory, emphasizing that the application for EU membership, attainment of candidate country status, and initiation of accession negotiations mark historic milestones for the Republic of Moldova.

Deputy Prime Minister Gherasimov also highlighted the significant transformations underway in our country and the ambitious reform agenda of the Government, underlining the objective of expediting our European journey.

"Given the threats posed by Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine, an accelerated pace for future EU enlargement is imperative to enhance security and peace in Europe," stated Deputy Prime Minister Gherasimov.

Furthermore, she expressed confidence that the enlargement and reform of the European Union can progress concurrently.

"Both the EU must undertake reforms to function efficiently with an expanded membership, and candidate countries must enhance their domestic democracy to successfully integrate into the European community", concluded Deputy Prime Minister Gherasimov.