MOLDPRES: Madam Deputy Prime Minister, on 14 December 2023, the European Council voted to open EU accession negotiations. Following this decision, the Republic of Moldova is actively involved in the process of assessing national legislation in relation to the EU regulatory framework. In which areas are there the biggest discrepancies and what are the tools needed to eliminate the inconsistencies? What are the main steps in the screening process?

Cristina Gherasimov: As of February 2024, we are at the explanatory screening stage. In fact, during it, the European Commission experts present to the officials of our institutions the main provisions of the European Union legislation - the well-known acquis communautaire - and answer questions related to clarifying certain aspects of European regulations and standards. This way, we will know exactly what we need to do to transpose them into the internal regulatory framework. Through this exercise, we are also preparing for the next stage - the bilateral screening. Only then will we be in a position to present, for each chapter, an assessment of the current level of alignment of national legislation with EU legislation and identify any discrepancies. Throughout this process, we are fully supported by our colleagues in Brussels, and the 2024 Enlargement Package will be published in the fall of this year, which will contain the Commission's main recommendations on the steps we need to take for each chapter.

As far as internal instruments are concerned, we have the National Action Plan for Moldova's Accession to the European Union for the years 2024-2027, which sets out the concrete measures, the responsible institutions and the deadlines by which we plan to achieve the steps set out in the Plan. The Bureau for European Integration is monitoring how we are progressing.

MOLDPRES: After the screening stage, the European Council is to adopt the negotiating framework. According to European officials, Brussels will make every effort to finalize the negotiating framework by 1 July this year. What does this document present and what can be the timetable for its implementation?

Cristina Gherasimov: The negotiating framework sets out the orientation and principles for the accession negotiations with each candidate country. The European Commission has already elaborated a draft negotiating framework, Member States will adopt it and the Council President will present it to the Government of Chisinau to officially start accession negotiations. So the negotiating framework is the basis on which we can start the actual negotiations for each chapter. However, de facto, they can only start once the Commission has presented the assessment reports for each chapter, once the bilateral screening process has been completed. In the past, for other candidate countries, this took 12-18 months. I hope that in our case this procedure will be quicker and we will be able to open the first chapters already early next year.

MOLDPRES: The authorities from the Chisinau want to organize the first intergovernmental conference to mark the official launch of EU accession negotiations as soon as possible. When will the conference take place and in what format? What important decisions will be taken?

Cristina Gherasimov: The actual accession negotiations take place in the framework of intergovernmental conferences between EU member states on the one hand and the candidate country on the other. The first intergovernmental conference is an important political milestone as it is the official start of the negotiations with the European Union. At the same time, it is a good platform to exchange positions between the EU and the candidate country, to present the negotiating team and to propose the calendar of meetings in the screening process, which precedes the substantive negotiations.

We want this first intergovernmental conference - which will be attended by representatives of the EU Member States as well as the Government from the Chisinau - to take place in the very near future. The aim is to adopt the negotiating framework, which will allow us to start discussions on each individual chapter. At the same time, the Republic of Moldova will present its general negotiating position, which de facto is the Country Declaration - a political document endorsing the negotiating framework.

MOLDPRES: To what extent could the security situation in the region, caused by the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine for more than two years and the crises provoked by it, hinder the process of Moldova's integration into the EU?

Cristina Gherasimov: I believe that, on the contrary, the situation in the region is leading us to accelerate the processes in order to be ready to join the European Union as soon as possible. Just as we managed to obtain the status of candidate country and to fulfill almost completely the nine recommendations of the European Commission in order to start negotiations, just as - despite the difficult economic, social and security context - the EU Member States decided in December 2023 to launch accession negotiations, so we will also manage to progress on our European path from now on. It is the only way to avoid future crises like the ones we are currently experiencing.

MOLDPRES: Moldova's citizens are being called on to take part in a referendum on the country's European integration this fall. The authorities intend to enshrine the strategic objective of European integration in the Constitution. What are your arguments to convince people that EU integration is the right choice for our future?

Cristina Gherasimov: You only have to look at the countries that joined the European Union after 2000 to understand why this is the best way forward for the Republic of Moldova. By the way, 1 May marks the 20^th anniversary of the biggest enlargement of the European Union, when the EU family enlarged to ten Member States. And our fellow citizens who - whether out of stubbornness or ignorance - refuse to see how much these countries have developed for the better, economically and socially, are simply lying to themselves and to others. Because these countries have seen real leaps forward.

I am convinced that, just as in Romania or Poland, in Lithuania or the Czech Republic, but also in the other countries that have joined the EU in the last 20 years, European integration will bring us economic growth and development opportunities. This means more investment and more business tools for companies in our country, so also the prospect of well-paid jobs and additional revenue for the budget. And if there is money in the budget, higher pensions, child allowances or social benefits can be paid. New member countries also receive financial support to develop their infrastructure - new roads, modern schools and hospitals of the highest standards.

Similarly, European integration will put the law at the head of the table. We will thus be able to get rid of the toxic influence of those who want to steal the country's money and resources and who believe that they can still get away with it. And last but not least, membership of the European Union will bring us peace and security in the long term, which is what we all want.

MOLDPRES interview: Ala Ciobanu