The budgetary planning that is being discussed at the Annual EU Budget Conference 2024 hosted by European Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn is not a mere financial document; it is a budget of peace, President Maia Sandu stated in Brussels, IPN reports.
“The discussion about the EU budget goes beyond a simple discussion about money. It is about a firm project to build a peaceful and prosperous Europe, about a united Europe that not only develops, but also protects. A Europe to which the Republic of Moldova is part,” stressed Maia Sandu.
The head of state said that for the Republic of Moldova, a European peace budget means huge help for protecting the values we believe in and want to defend: peace, freedom and welfare. “It means becoming stronger in the face of those who want to impose a different fate on us. A European peace budget will help us accelerate the accession process, raise the living standards in Moldova and contribute to the security of the entire continent,” noted Maia Sandu.
The official also said that she discussed these things during a meeting with European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, who is due to visit Chisinau on May 9, Europe Day, to celebrate European Moldova.
The head of state also discussed with the President of the European Council Charles Michel. The officials conferred on the acceleration of the joining by the Republic of Moldova of the European Union, the reform process, the development of the war-torn economy, Moldova’s role in regional security and the country’s vision for a united, stable and prosperous Europe. “Our priority is to organise as soon as possible the first Intergovernmental Conference with the European Union to formally start theaccession negotiations,” said President Sandu.
Maia Sandu had meetings with Věra Jourová, Vice-President of the European Commission, Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for Economy, and Gert-Jan Koopman, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations. The head of state discussed the economic development and improvement of living conditions for Moldova’s citizens with Kristalina Gheorghieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, and Nadia Calviño, President of the European Investment Bank.
Maia Sandu also met Moldovans who settled in Belgium and Luxembourg. “Our citizens, whether they live in the country or abroad, are united in their desire to make progress on the path of European integration. I felt a deep care and love for our homeland and I asked them to show the same unity this autumn, when together we will decide the future of the country,” stated the official.
