Moldova may possibly integrate into EU alongside Turkey - Guido Podesta
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Wednesday, 19 October 2005 |
Moldova.org - Falls Church, VA, USA
Moldova may possibly integrate into EU alongside Turkey, considers the chairman of the Joint EU-Romania Parliamentary Committee, Guido Podesta, member of the European Peoples Party.
In an interview for the publication "Adevarul" (Truth), the European official asserted that the main problem Moldova confronts on its way to European accession is the Transdniestrian conflict. I met Vladimir Voronin thrice: in Brussels, in Rome, and in Chisinau. I think the multiple and difficult problems of the breakaway Republic of Transdniestria must be solved in the first place. In addition, the relations with Russia and its position on this issue are rather delicate.?
?œIf Moldova manages to settle these issues with Transdniestria, it has chances of entering the EU,? Guido Podesta said. Not now and I do not know exactly when, but I think at the same time as Turkey. There is a great difference yet to Moldovas advantage and to Turkeys detriment: Turkey is big and thus it will be very difficult for it to enter the EU. Moldova has between three-four million people. So it would be easier to integrate Moldova than Turkey,? Podesta stated.
The European official has said he regrets Romania is not present in the joint international commission entrusted with the task to solve these problems because it would have been very useful to have Romanian representatives and opinions on this issue. // Reporter.MD
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