Welcome
Since 2005, relations between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova have gained unprecedented momentum. Just to mention a few achievements: in February 2005, Moldova and the EU signed the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan; in March of the same year, EU Member States created the position of the EU Special Representative for Moldova; in October 2005, an EU Commission Delegation was opened in Chisinau; in November 2005, the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine was deployed, and in January 2010, the EU and Moldova launched negotiations on an Association Agreement. For five years, the EU has been an observer in the so-called 5+2 negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement. The EU and Moldova can also be proud of successes such as the opening of a Common Visa Application Centre in Chisinau in April 2007, the entry into force of the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements on 1 January 2008, the adoption of autonomous trade preferences for Moldovan imports into the EU, which entered into force on 1 March 2008, and the launching of EU-Moldova visa dialogue in June 2010.
In March 2007 I took over as EU Special Representative from my predecessor, Ambassador Adriaan Jacobovits de Szeged.
One of the most important tasks of the EU Special Representative is to contribute to a viable, fair and sustainable settlement of the Transnistria conflict. My direct superior, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, is deeply committed to this goal, and I am her key aide on this file, building preconditions and preparing the ground for a settlement with our partners.
The frozen conflict in Transnistria has been there for almost 19 years now. This situation has hindered the economic development of both the right and the left banks, and has been a destabilising factor in the region. In the course of this period, Moldova has become the poorest country of our continent; it is our joint obligation with our partners in the conflict resolution process to energetically find a good solution. The de-facto separation of Moldova is quite artificial, as there are no religious or ethnic conflict lines in Moldova. All international participants – the EU, Russia, Ukraine, the United States and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – in the settlement talks are committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova and agree on the basic lines of a settlement: a viable Moldovan state, a special status for the Transnistrian region, and respect for the principles of international law.
The settlement of the conflict will require close cooperation between key regional players. The Russian Federation, which is a strategic partner of the EU, is an especially important partner in searching for a settlement on the future status of Transnistria. The European Union and the Russian Federation have a shared interest in working together on promoting stability and development in our common neighbourhood. It is my strong conviction that the Transnistria settlement could become a model for constructive and results-oriented EU-Russia cooperation within negotiation framework.
The EU is seeking an increasingly close relationship with Ukraine, a priority partner country within the European Neighbourhood Policy. The EU has a permanent dialogue and cooperates closely with Ukraine in the regional framework in the area of foreign and security policy. I want in particular to stress the value of Ukraine’s positive contribution in the context of the 5+2 process for the settlement of Transnistria conflict.
The EU Border Assistance Mission for Moldova and Ukraine, which is headed by my senior political adviser, General Udo Burkholder, has improved border control and cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova. EUBAM has also contributed, alongside the European Commission, to integrating Transnistrian businesses in the Moldovan, and thus the international trading system. The EU Border Assistance Mission is a sign of Ukraine’s and Moldova's commitment to European values.
Another crucial aspect of the EU Special Representative's tasks is the promotion of EU-Moldova relations. I relentlessly continue to promote ever closer relations between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union. These relations are based on our common European values such as democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Together with the European Commission, my office makes every effort to support the strengthening of these values in Moldova.
I firmly believe that the Moldovan development model must be attractive to the inhabitants of the left bank of the Nistru river. This highlights the need for further economic reforms and further deepening democracy and human rights in Moldova.
Kálmán Mizsei
EU Special Representative for Moldova
