8.3.2012   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 70/68

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having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed on 28 November 1994 between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union and which entered into force on 1 July 1998,

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having regard to the Joint Statement of the EU-Moldova Cooperation Council issued on 21 December 2009,

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having regard to the on-going negotiations for the conclusion of an Association Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union, as well as the negotiations on the liberalisation of the visa regime between the Union and the Republic of Moldova,

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having regard to the Commission’s Progress Report on the Republic of Moldova of 12 May 2010 (COM(2010)0207),

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having regard to the statements of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on Moldova/Transnistria of 17 May 2010, on restrictive measures against the leadership of the Transnistrian region of 27 September 2010 and on the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court by the Republic of Moldova of 14 October 2010,

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having regard to the outcome of the parliamentary elections of 29 July 2009 and the results of the referendum on the reform of the constitution on 5 September 2010 and to the decision to hold early parliamentary elections on 28 November 2010,

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having regard to its previous resolutions on the Republic of Moldova and on the Transnistria region,

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having regard to Rule 110(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.

whereas the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the Eastern Partnership launched in May 2009 recognised the Republic of Moldova’s European aspirations and the importance of Moldova as a country with deep historical, cultural and economic links with the Member States of the European Union,

B.

whereas the Association Agreement currently being negotiated between the EU and the Republic of Moldova should significantly enhance the EU-Republic of Moldova common institutional framework, facilitate the deepening of relations in all areas, and strengthen political association and economic integration, involving reciprocal rights and obligations,

C.

whereas EU-Moldova relations have progressed substantially over the last year, a fact that was duly reflected in the Progress Report by the European Commission on 12 May 2010 which found that progress was achieved in most of the sectoral fields covered by the ENP Action Plan,

D.

whereas the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the setting up of the External Action Service and the appointment of the Vice President/High Representative gives the European Union a renewed impetus to take a more pro-active role in dealing with frozen conflicts in its own neighbourhood, including the Transnistria issue,

1.

Welcomes the progress made during the last year by the Republic of Moldova and hopes that the electoral process can further consolidate the democratic institutions and respect for the rule of law and for human rights in Moldova; expects the Moldovan authorities to pursue the reforms needed and fulfil their commitments to keep the Republic of Moldova on track for steady European integration;

2.

Welcomes the start of negotiations on the Association Agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova on 12 January 2010 and takes note with satisfaction of the very good results the Commission is obtaining from the Republic of Moldova in this process;

3.

Calls on the Council to invite the Commission to proceed to quickly develop the action plan for visa liberalisation at its next meeting, on 25 October 2010, thus entering into the fully operational phase of the visa dialogue based on the Republic of Moldova’s progress following exploratory talks on the four blocks of the visa dialogue;

4.

Welcomes the granting of macro-financial assistance in the form of a grant of a maximum amount of EUR 90 million to the Republic of Moldova with a view to supporting economic stabilisation and alleviating its balance of payments and budgetary needs, as identified in the current IMF programme; stresses the need for the Republic of Moldova to step up efforts to implement structural reforms effectively, notably with regard to the rule of law, the fight against corruption and the business and investment climate;

5.

Recognises the improvements in the business environment and the regulatory framework of entrepreneurial activity as a key measure to attract investments, and expresses its confidence that the negotiations on the Free Trade Area with the EU, as part of the Association Agreement, will swiftly move forward;

6.

Supports the initiative of the ‘Friends of Moldova’, which include several Foreign Ministers from Member States and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle, which aims at expressing clear EU support for and solidarity with the Republic of Moldova and is a clear signal of a strong commitment to support the country in addressing the challenges it faces; believes that this initiative will effectively assist the Republic of Moldova in implementing internal reforms and bring the country closer to the European Union;

7.

Takes the view that the EU can contribute to the solution of the Transnistrian problem by fostering confidence building, in particular by supporting the implementation of joint projects addressing common needs of the population working with local communities and civil society and by giving assistance to alleviate the economic crisis on both sides of the Nistru river;

8.

Stresses that the resolution of the Transnistrian issue constitutes a crucial element for promoting political stability and economic prosperity in the Republic of Moldova and the region; reiterates its support for the territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and points out that a more robust EU role in finding a solution to the Transnistrian question is needed, as the prolongation of this issue should not hamper Moldova’s EU integration;

9.

Welcomes the informal meetings that took place in the 5 + 2 format regarding Transnistria settlement efforts since June 2009 and calls upon the parties to return to formal negotiations in this format at the earliest possible opportunity and welcomes the Meseberg initiative on solving the Transnistrian conflict, initiated by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and believes that a foreign-minister-level security forum could contribute to achieving a sustainable solution of the conflict together with its partners;

10.

Underlines the need to strengthen the people’s confidence in the institutions of the state and in the judicial authorities, especially after the involvement of some officials and officers from law enforcement bodies in the violence that occurred during the events of April 2009 and expects that all those found responsible for the acts of violence shall be brought to justice;

11.

Encourages all the democratic political forces and ethno-cultural communities to avoid unnecessary confrontations and concentrate on developing a broad vision for the Republic of Moldova with the aim of directing the country towards achieving its European goals;

12.

Hopes that the upcoming elections due to be held on 28 November 2010 will be held in full compliance with international standards and reminds all concerned that the pre-election campaign must provide equal opportunities for all political forces; expects measures to be taken to ensure the effectiveness of the right to vote of Moldovan citizens living abroad and states that the de facto authorities in the breakaway region of Transnistria have no right to prevent Moldovan citizens from taking part in the voting process;

13.

Calls on the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova to take part in the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly according to the Constituent Act of the Assembly;

14.

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission, the Member States and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the Government and Parliament of Moldova.