RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

No more EU visas for the Republic of Moldova

Starting on the 28th of April, Moldovan citizens can travel without visas to the European Union, with the exception of Britain and Ireland.

No more EU visas for the Republic of Moldova
No more EU visas for the Republic of Moldova

, 28.04.2014, 13:24

The visa liberalisation for Moldovan citizens travelling to the European Union has been met with enthusiasm in the Moldovan capital Chisinau. To celebrate the news, a group of over 100 people led by the country’s prime minister Iurie Leanca will make a symbolic visit to Greece, the current holder of the EU rotating presidency.



According to prime minister Leanca, the visa liberalisation will allow Moldovans to visit their families living in the EU more often and give them the opportunity to see how people live in the European Union. “A trip to western Europe will be more efficient than the entire pro-Russian propaganda in the Republic of Moldova”, said one Moldovan citizen quoted by Radio Romania’s correspondent in Chisinau.



The lifting of visas is an undeniable achievement of the Moldovan government and of Romania’s political and diplomatic lobbying. It also shows the Union’s confidence in the pro-European movement and can be seen as an encouragement to continue on this path, all the more so as not all political forces in the Republic of Moldova are in favour of the country’s coming closer to the European Union.



A former Soviet state with a majority Romanian speaking population, the Republic of Moldova is the first Eastern Partnership member whose citizens are allowed to travel to the EU visa-free. The European commissioner for internal affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, has hailed the decision and the efforts of the Moldovan authorities which have made it possible.



In Bucharest, a release from Romania’s president Traian Basescu writes that free movement to the European Union and the upcoming signing of the association agreement will consolidate Moldova’s European path. The Romanian foreign minister, Titus Corlatean, said Moldovan citizens can now benefit from a fundamental EU right and called on the European Union to step up the signing of its association agreement with Moldova:



“I have called on EU ambassadors to stress the importance of speeding up the association process in their respective capitals so that the association and free trade agreement may be signed in late May or in June at the latest. This would give the Moldovan parliament the necessary time to ratify the agreement before Parliament’s summer recess and the start of the election campaign for the legislative elections in autumn.”



Although the liberalisation of the visa policy for Moldovan citizens does not also imply the opening of the EU labour markets, it clearly brings Moldova closer to the EU at a very complicated time for this geopolitical region.

EP and local elections in Romania on June 9 (Photo credits: AEP)
Today in the News Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Preparations for the elections abroad

  After the local and European parliamentary elections, held simultaneously on June 9, Romanians are preparing for an election marathon. They will...

Preparations for the elections abroad
Photo: kschneider2991 / pixabay.com
Today in the News Tuesday, 12 November 2024

Growing trade deficit

The trade balance deficit recorded in Romania in the first nine months of the current year increased by 15%, as compared to the same period of 2023,...

Growing trade deficit
Photo: pixabay.com
Today in the News Monday, 11 November 2024

Central Bank Report on Inflation

The latest report on inflation was approved at the end of last week by the Board of Directors of the National Bank of Romania. According to the...

Central Bank Report on Inflation
Klaus Iohannis, at the EPC summit (Budapest, Hungary)
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

EPC meeting in Budapest

European leaders met in Budapest to discuss security challenges facing Europe, with an emphasis on the situation in Ukraine, as well as the issues of...

EPC meeting in Budapest
Today in the News Friday, 08 November 2024

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment

Data from the Statistical Office of the European Union – Eurostat show that the adjusted average annual full-time salary of Romanians is the fourth...

Romania, from wages to youth unemployment
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump

Many political leaders around the world have reacted by congratulating the Republican Donald Trump, who announced his victory in the US presidential...

Reactions to the election of Donald Trump
Today in the News Thursday, 07 November 2024

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy

The Romanian Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu and the European Commissioner for Agriculture, the Polish Janusz Wojciechowski, who is on formal...

Farmers and the Common Agricultural Policy
Today in the News Wednesday, 06 November 2024

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

Romanian Government’s proposal for the position of European Commissioner in the future Community Executive, the Social Democrat Roxana Mînzatu has...

Roxana Mînzatu, endorsed by the Romanian Parliament

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company