Moldovan president vows to become member of EU by 2028

(MENAFN) Moldovan President Maia Sandu has stated that her country could join the European Union by 2028, despite increasing opposition to her pro-Western policies. Moldova, a former Soviet republic, has been seeking EU and NATO membership since Sandu, a strong critic of Russia, assumed power in 2020. In 2022, Moldova, alongside Ukraine, was granted EU candidate status, and Sandu, re-elected in a controversial runoff last year, has intensified efforts to accelerate the country's accession process.

In an interview with local broadcaster TV8 on Monday, Sandu said she aims to conclude negotiations by the end of 2027. “By 2028, we expect every EU member state to have ratified our agreements. That way, we will complete the process before the end of the current European Commission’s mandate,” Sandu explained. The Commission's mandate, under President Ursula von der Leyen, runs from December 2024 to December 2029.

EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, stated last month that Moldova’s accession by 2028 will depend on the pace of reforms and unanimous support from all 27 EU member states.

Sandu’s policies have faced growing criticism domestically. Earlier this month, thousands of protesters gathered in the capital, Chisinau, to voice discontent over the country’s economic policies and the government’s treatment of opposition figures. The protest was led by the Party of Socialists and its leader, former President Igor Dodon, and was seen as the beginning of their campaign ahead of Moldova's September parliamentary elections. Sandu has said that these elections will be crucial for Moldova’s EU aspirations.

The opposition, including the Socialists who do not recognize Sandu’s re-election, accused her government of an “unprecedented act of spiritual terror” after a senior Moldovan Orthodox Church bishop was prevented from traveling to Jerusalem for Easter. Sandu’s administration has also been involved in a political dispute with the autonomous region of Gagauzia, which is seen as a challenge to her government’s pro-Western stance. Yevgenia Gutsul, Gagauzia’s governor and a vocal critic of Sandu, was arrested in April as part of an investigation into alleged campaign irregularities. Gutsul and her supporters claim the arrest was politically motivated.

Sandu has framed her crackdown on opposition parties and media outlets as an effort to combat “pro-Russian” elements within the country.

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