Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Guests, 

It is a great honour for me to address you today at the Annual Economist Government Roundtable. This question  “What do the European elections signify for the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe?” is as important as ever. We have to look at these results in the context, and obviously from the Moldovan perspective. This is from one side a cautious optimism that we are seeing, and, from the other side, a kind of rehearsal. I will explain later why.  

We see that Parliament moved to the right, the question is to what extent will policies move?

I will not comment on the election results themselves, as I believe this is the expression of the will of the people. Results will inevitably change every few years, just as they are meant - to reflect the changes in concerns and expectations of our people. 

Though I think that a thorough analysis of the malign influence and election interference should be done, in order to assess to what extent people’s sentiment is a reflection of reality, or is influenced by propaganda, desinformation and false promises.

Moldova's path to independence was paved in the early 90's in the streets, with thousands and thousands of people rally demanding under soviet occupation for freedom and sovereignty. Some might even say democracy itself arrived rather unexpectedly with the fall of the Soviet Union. But as a young democracy, we have come to value our freedoms and celebrate our elections. At these european elections, Nearly 50,000 of our nationals within Moldova who also hold EU citizenship participated in the recent European elections in the polling stations opened in Moldova and voted overwhelmingly for pro-European parties and we called pro- European parties those that understand that a larger Europe is a more peaceful, secure and prosper Europe I was mentioning that this was also a  rehearsal — a preparation for the day when all Moldovans will have a say on the future of the European Union. A shared future for our continent and unity in Europe.

When our country holds national elections, hundreds of thousands of Moldovans worldwide travel hours and hundreds of kilometres to polling stations to exercise their freedom of choice. Few events unite our diaspora like Election Day – a day when they get to decide the future of our country. …Isn’t that a reason for celebration?

Yet, too many still take democracy for granted. And in today's world, it’s important not to forget that having a voice and a vote is especially valuable. New technologies are being used to divide us, and while Ukrainians cannot afford to hold elections, for the Kremlin they simply just don’t seem to matter anymore.

Moldova has been the country most affected by the war, after Ukraine, and we still receive a lot of unsolicited attention from the Kremlin. Moldova is safe and peaceful thanks to the bravery and sacrifices of Ukraine and I would like to extend our Moldovan gratitude to Ukraine and Ukrainian people for keeping peace, security not only in Moldova, but on the continent, including Baltic countries.  However, the broader conflict impacts all of Europe. Cyberattacks, informational warfare, and other attacks on democracies are felt everywhere, with the intention of undermining our democracies and interfering with our sovereign choices. Every day our institutions are becoming stronger and more resilient towards new types of threats. But I believe that even in these terrible times, we must still seek ways to end the cycle of hatred and destruction, striving tirelessly for peace and unity.

This war has no justification. No shift in borders can justify the hundreds of thousands of deaths. And while we cannot change the past, we can still shape a future where we live in peace. There is really no alternative, but to learn to coexist and it is probably the greatest responsibility of politicians - to pursue peace and prosperity with decency, never abandoning diplomacy, dialogue, and convergence.

All wars share one common outcome—they eventually end with peace. But European wars have an immensely more valuable commonality: they ended for good with the European Union. This war should be no different. Peace in Europe must prevail. We must learn from our mistakes and ensure this is the last war in Europe, maintaining unity around the values that matter most—freedom, prosperity, rule of law and respect for human life.

No other continent has endured as much war as Europe, only to emerge free, open, prosperous, and without borders. These values attract countries to the Union, and these values will outlive any dictator.

Moldova already embraces these values. We are fighting corruption and reforming our justice, building a country that can maintain its own peace and security while contributing to those of the region, and, at the same time, building the most digital and business-friendly country in Europe. The competition is tough, but we are determined to excel. I invite you all to come and see our progress, but also come visit us as a family.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today, I stand before you not just as the Prime Minister of Moldova but as a representative of a nation that is deeply committed to the European project. Moldova, Ukraine, and countries from the Western Balkans are part of the European family. It is not a question of if but when we will join the Union.

Our journey towards EU membership is not without its challenges, but great things don’t come easy. Yet, we remain determined to succeed. We believe that EU enlargement in Eastern Europe and Western Balkans is an investment in peace, ensuring freedom and safety for generations to come. We are ready and willing to contribute!

Thank you.