Radio Moldova: Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Cristina Gherasimov, the Republic of Moldova is currently at the stage of bilateral screening. What does this stage involve and when could it be concluded?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: During the next year, we are going to explain to the European Commission experts the national legislation, the differences compared to European legislation, and how we plan to adopt the existing standards and rules of EU Member States. The screening process is structured in sessions, each of them covering one chapter. We recently had the session for the first chapter, 'Public Procurement', and in autumn we will continue with the Cluster I group of chapters, 'Fundamentals'. Then we will move on to the second cluster and so on, until we cover them all.

 

We hope to complete this process as quickly as possible, but based on the experience of other countries, it can take up to 18 months.  

 

Radio Moldova: On July 10 and 11, the European Union delegation came in Chisinau to participate in the first screening session. You discussed, as you mentioned, the Cluster 'Fundamentals', which included the 'Public procurement' chapter. What feedback have you received from European officials? How do they evaluate the accession process and the themes achieved or, indeed, those that remain unmet?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: We received very positive feedback. We were well prepared. We have well presented the stage we are at, the public procurement legislation and the plans we are going to implement in order to get as close as possible to the level of transparency similar to any other EU country.

 

It is very important to keep in mind that reforms are not made for the benefit of Brussels, but for us as a society. We want our citizens to benefit from the same standards of life that European citizens enjoy today, and this will only be possible if we manage, as quickly as possible, to transpose them into our legislation and implement them.

 

Radio Moldova: You also received recommendations from the European Commissioner. Could you share them?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: Let's focus on our tasks, because we have a lot of work to do. We have been presented with a very optimistic horizon - you have heard it. Brussels has an optimistic attitude, considering that there is enough time until 2030. So, in the next 4-6 years, we must make our best possible and do our utmost to fully benefit from this window of opportunity. The key message is not to waste time and to work intensively, so that we can transform our country and enjoy the opportunities available to any other European state.

 

Radio Moldova: What will be the next open chapter?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: The next chapter that will be analysed in a bilateral screening session, where we will present the national legislation, is Chapter 24, 'Justice, freedom and security'. This chapter will be examined by the European Commission together with representatives of our institutions in the second half of September.

 

Radio Moldova: According to what criteria are the chapters selected? Why specifically public procurement or justice?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: The negotiations start and will end with the first cluster, 'Fundamentals', where justice reform is playing a very important role. This cluster consists of five chapters, which we start with. The order has been agreed with experts from the European Commission. However, each cluster, meaning each group of chapters, will be started successively.

 

Radio Moldova: The process for a single chapter can take months.

 

Cristina Gherasimov: In terms of presentation, the analysis of a chapter can take from one day to five days - in the case of more complicated chapters, such as those on agriculture or the environment.  On average, a chapter will be presented in two to three days.

 

Radio Moldova: When will the actual negotiations start?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: The actual negotiations will start immediately after the completion of the screening stage, where we present national legislation for all the chapters in a cluster. In December, we will complete the screening of the first five chapters of Cluster 1, including 'Functioning of democratic Institutions', 'Economic criteria' and 'Public administration reform'.

 

Once we finalise these presentations, the European Commission will issue an assessment report which will indicate the differences identified for each chapter. This report will be forwarded to the EU Council and Member States will decide whether they are ready to open negotiations on the chapters of Cluster I.

 

For instance, if the report will be finalised and presented by the Commission to the Council in the period December-February, we can expect that a proposal for opening of the actual negotiations on the first cluster will be made in spring next year. We estimate that in the spring of 2025, we will be in a parallel process: further screening on other chapters and the opening of negotiations for those in Cluster I, with the three areas I mentioned earlier.

 

So, we will have a parallel path that will allow us to complete the screening phase and, at the same time, we will already be in the process of negotiating for the chapters proposed for opening by the Council.

 

Radio Moldova: Accession negotiations are starting: what exactly is being negotiated? The most interesting question is whether the Republic of Moldova has a real voice in these negotiations or are we just aligning to the European legislation?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: The aim of the negotiation process is to bring us as close as possible to European Union standards. We must be prepared to implement EU law at home, which means major changes at national level. Every candidate country goes through such changes - whether it's the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, Albania, Serbia or Montenegro. The final goal is to make EU legislation applicable in these countries. So, we are negotiating on how to transpose and apply EU legislation at national level.

 

Our objective is to ensure that we are as well prepared as possible for the moment of accession, (...) which means by 2030. If there will be certain sectors or EU directives that are more difficult to implement, we will ask for longer transition periods that are necessary for the full implementation of EU legislation. This is the subject of the negotiations.

 

All our efforts are not for the sake of the European Union, but for the well-being of each individual citizen, because we want to enjoy the same standards of life as European citizens. Through the steps and the European agenda, which the Government has set itself, we are going to come closer to these standards. It is in our interest to speed up the reforms in order to enjoy their benefits sooner.

 

Radio Moldova: You certainly have also done an analysis of the potential problems we may face along the path. There are less than six years until 2030. Where and at what stage do you think the Republic of Moldova will face the greatest difficulties?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: We are at the beginning of our path, thus the most important task now is to continue strengthening administrative capacities so that all state institutions, but also us as a society, acquire the necessary skills needed for the absorption of European funds. This process of strengthening the country must lead us to a competitive country with a strong economy, a free and democratic society and a genuinely independent justice system.

 

These reforms are not easy to perform and their continuity is essential. At the moment, we enjoy a majority that allows us to move forward quickly, but the complexity of these reforms requires constant effort. It is important to maintain our rhythm because, in the negotiation process, in case of a regression, even if certain chapters have already been provisionally closed, any EU Member State or the European Commission can request the reopening of negotiations on those chapters or a pause in negotiations.

 

Thus, chapters are only definitively closed at the end of the process. Respectively, political will and continuity of reforms is very important aspect - and difficult to maintain.

 

Radio Moldova: At this point, if we are optimistic and things will evolve in the same political conjuncture, how many years do you think it would take for the Republic of Moldova to negotiate all the chapters and reach that accession treaty, which has to be approved by the 27 EU member states?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: I consider that we need to work on the national objective that President Maia Sandu has stated and to be ready on the internal level for EU membership in 2030. In practice, this would mean that negotiations should be concluded by the end of 2027 or, at the latest, in the first half of 2028.

 

Although this period may seem distant, the amount of time that is left, 3-4 years, is very short given the complexity of the reforms. That is the reason why we must value every day, whether we have a coalition government or a majority government. It is very important for us to join our efforts and work together as a society in order to achieve this goal and become a Member State of the European Union in 2030 (...) From this perspective, I always underline the importance of every citizen, regardless of the sector in which he or she is employed: private, academic, media, university or public - everyone is able to contribute in this process of speeding up the moment of the accession to EU.

 

Radio Moldova: The year 2030 is not a very optimistic estimation, if we consider the political conjuncture and what is happening in the Republic of Moldova?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: We can call it as we like: too optimistic, less optimistic, but it is important to recognise that today we have a very rare moment of opportunity, created by history and the next European Commission, especially now with the re-election of Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. We enjoy the full openness of the European institutions, so 2030 is an optimistic timeframe for our EU accession.

(...)

 

Radio Moldova: The EU will provide the Republic of Moldova with pre-accession funds, starting with 2028, through the new budget, and until then there will be various funding mechanisms. Still, this requires capacity to absorb these funds, as you mentioned at the very beginning of the program. Does Moldova have this capacity?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: The Republic of Moldova is working hard to increase this capacity.

 

Radio Moldova: Prosecutors, including Laura Codruța Kövesi, have said that European prosecutors will be monitoring how the Republic of Moldova will spend these funds. What about monitoring these funds at the internal level?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: Of course, just as is the case with monitoring any public money. Within our institutions there are various mechanisms, such as internal audit, which help us to make sure that public money is spent correctly and transparently.

(...)

 

Radio Moldova: When will we live in Moldova with salaries and conditions similar to those in the European Union?

 

Cristina Gherasimov: It depends on the effort we will make. For higher salaries we need a stronger economy. Therefore, the faster we manage to strengthen our economy, the faster we will have higher salaries and a better standard of life.

 

Interview from 22.7.2024

Video: „La 360 de grade” with Cristina Popescu, Radio Moldova