EC pres to inspect Moldova's reforms for its integration in EU

CHISINAU, July 6 (Itar-Tass) - President of the European Council
Herman Van Rompuy starts a visit to Moldova on Wednesday where he will
inspect progress in reforms, conducted for the purpose of integration into
the European community.
He will hold talks with acting President and parliament speaker Marian
Lupu and premier Vlad Filat. A gala meeting of the parliament will be
called on the occasion of the visit by the high European official who will
speak at the legislature.
The parliamentary press service reported that Moldova is involved in
the large-scale process of reforms in order to integrate into the EU.
Liberalisation of the visa regime and a regime of free trade with EU
countries are called as priority aims, for the achievement of which the
government shouldered an obligation to fulfil some Brussels'
recommendations.
However, this process is hindered by the protracted political crisis
when the legislature has not been able to elect the president for two
years. The situation has not changed either by a chain of early elections,
or changes in the arrangement of political forces.
Rompuy pointed to Moldova's achievements on the way of European
integration at the last meeting with the Moldovan premier in Brussels,
stressing importance of continuing reforms, started by the government, and
the course for democratisation of society. He called on the republican
authorities to find a way out of the crisis and to elect the president so
as to ensure political stability in the country.
"Introduction of reforms and implementation of a programme for
integration into the EU is possible only under conditions of the mandate
of the Moldovan present leadership for the entire four-year period,"
Rompuy said. He expressed hope that "the Moldovan political class has
sufficient force and wisdom to overcome the obtaining situation".
In turn, speaking on the eve of Rompuy's visit, Lupu pointed to the
importance of EU participation in the negotiation process on the Dniester
problem in the format "5+2" (Moldova, the Dniester region, the OSCE,
Russia, Ukraine and observers from the US and the EU).