Moldovan president signs decree on start of EU accession talks

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Moldovan President Maia Sandu announced on Friday that she had signed a decree to start negotiations on the republic's accession to the European Union.

"Today I signed a decree on the start of negotiations on Moldova's accession to the European Union. Moldova has implemented all the recommendations of the European Commission," Sandu wrote on Facebook following a meeting of the National Commission for European Integration.

She noted that the negotiations on the accession will start on June 25 at the first Moldova-EU intergovernmental conference, two years after Chisinau received candidate status.

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Kristina Gerasimov has been appointed chief negotiator from Moldova, she said.

Sandu said she expects Moldova to become a EU mamber state by 2030. "Thousands of people in government institutions are behind these efforts to modernize the country, and the work of each of them has a decisive impact on achieving our country's goal of preparing Moldova for EU membership by 2030."

Integration into the EU is "the only way of development (for Moldova), thanks to which peace, prosperity and a better life for all citizens will be ensured," Sandu emphasized.

In early June, the European Commission recommended starting negotiations on Moldova and Ukraine's accession to the 27-member bloc.