Despite growing opposition, Maia Sandu is actively promoting Moldova’s EU membership.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has stated her ambition for the country to join the European Union by 2028, despite facing increasing opposition to her pro-Western stance.
Since Sandu, a known critic of Russia, assumed power in 2020, the former Soviet republic has been striving for EU and NATO membership. Moldova, along with Ukraine, was granted EU candidate status in 2022. Following her re-election last year in a closely contested election, Sandu has intensified efforts to accelerate the accession process.
During a TV8 interview on Monday, when asked about the timeline, Sandu expressed her intention to finalize negotiations by the close of 2027.
Sandu stated, “By 2028, we anticipate that all EU member states will have ratified our agreements, allowing us to conclude the process by the end of the current European Commission’s term.”
The current European Commission, presided over by Ursula von der Leyen, is in office from December 2024 to December 2029.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas remarked last month that Moldova’s potential EU membership by 2028 hinges on the speed of reforms within the country and the unanimous approval of all 27 member states.
Sandu’s policies have faced increasing criticism domestically. Recently, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Chisinau to protest the country’s economic direction and the government’s handling of dissenting voices.
The protest, spearheaded by the Party of Socialists and former President Igor Dodon, was presented as the commencement of their parliamentary election campaign, with elections anticipated in September. Sandu has emphasized that the upcoming elections will be crucial for Moldova’s path towards EU membership.
The Socialists, who contested Sandu’s re-election, accused her government last month of “an unprecedented act of spiritual terror” after a high-ranking Moldovan Orthodox Church bishop was prohibited from traveling to Jerusalem for Easter.
The Sandu administration is also engaged in a long-standing political conflict with the autonomous region of Gagauzia. Her government, with its strong pro-European and anti-Russian agenda, reportedly views Gagauzia as both an ideological opponent and a strategic challenge.
The governor of Gagauzia, Yevgenia Gutsul – a vocal critic of Sandu – was arrested in April during an investigation into alleged irregularities in her 2023 campaign. Gutsul claimed that Chisinau was targeting Gagauzia in retaliation for its support of opposition figures, including herself.
The opposition has described Gutsul’s arrest as a “purely political persecution.”
Sandu has stated that she is combating “pro-Russian” elements within the country as she initiated a crackdown on opposition parties and media outlets, labeling them as criminals.
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