Membership in the European Union (EU) is Moldova’s only chance to create a state that could decide its own destiny and would be protected from Russian threats, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on Friday.
“Only threats, embargoes and blackmail come from the Kremlin,” Sandu said in a speech to parliament. “That’s where war, suffering and poverty come from. The EU is our only chance to create a country where citizens can decide their own destiny.”
“In 2030, Moldova must be a member state of the EU, with the same rights,” said Sandu. “Moldova chose the European path, but how long it will take us depends only on us.”
Last June, the EU granted official candidate status to Moldova and Ukraine.
As tensions between Chisinau and Moscow remain, the party of Moldova’s pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor has organized several demonstrations against the pro-Western government in Chisinau in recent weeks.
Chisinau has accused Moscow of trying to overthrow the pro-European government by using saboteurs sent into the country and organizing anti-government protests.
Also last weekend, anti-government protests organized by the opposition pro-Russian party ŠOR took place in Moldova.
At the same time, Moldovan authorities detained several members of an anti-state group on Sunday
