Sweden backs Moldova's European integration way

Chisinau, 13 March /MOLDPRES/ - The consolidation of the capacities of the Bureau for European Integration (BIE), its powers and the strengthening of the institutional efforts in the process of Moldova’s accession to the European Union have been among the main subjects tackled at a meeting between BIE head Ghenadie Marian and a Swedish delegation of the Department for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, support Unit for reforms of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Sweden, on a visit to Chisinau.      

The Stockholm officials said that Sweden unconditionally supported the European integration way of Moldova and that the latter was part of Sweden’s regional development strategy. Attending the meeting, held on 7 March, were Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova Katarina Martholm Fried and the second secretary of the Swedish Embassy Axel Lundell.     

Thus, the sides referred to the importance of consolidating BIE’s institutional capacities, the human and financial resources, as well as the needs of the working groups as to the participation of foreign experts who would facilitate the process of approximation of the national legislation to the European Union’s one, during the negotiations.  

For his part, Ghenadie Marian said that the Bureau’s current activities were focused on the coordination of the implementation of the actions needed for the advancement to the opening of the negotiations on accession and giving the final touches to the mechanism of institutional coordination of the European integration process and of the structure of the negotiating team. ‘’The Bureau for European Integration needs support for fulfilling its institutional duties and Sweden’s contribution will be highly appreciated,’’ the BIE head said.     

The head of the support Unit for reforms, Daniel Johansson Arhem, appreciated Moldova’s progress in the implementation of the reforms necessary, which contributed to the positive decision by the European Council from December 2023 on the launch of the negotiations on accession to EU. In the context, the official noted that Sweden shared Moldova’s hopes to have the first Intergovernmental Conference during the presidency of Belgium in the EU Council.