Brussels, Chisinau yet to name date for starting talks on Moldova's EU accession
BRUSSELS. May 21 (Interfax) - European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi is unable to name the date for the start of negotiations on Moldova's accession to the European Union.
"We received again reassurances by the government [of Moldova] that this work is going to be done. But if this is going to be done before June 25 or not, I don't think I can respond to this," Varhelyi said at a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday.
He was asked whether the talks with Chisinau would begin on the day specified by certain Western media outlets. The press conference was dedicated to the results of the 8th meeting of the EU-Moldova Association Council. Varhelyi underlined the importance of a judiciary reform in Moldova for its accession to the EU.
He also said that the European Commission had submitted proposals on the convocation of the first intergovernmental conference with Moldova and the beginning of negotiations with Chisinau to the Council of the European Union. It is too early to say whether the Council will be ready to convene the conference by June 25, Varhelyi said. In his opinion, Moldova's achievement of every target set by the European Union would facilitate this.
In turn, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said Chisinau "does not have an exact date, but has a goal."
For its part, Politico said on Tuesday, citing its sources, that EU officials sought to initiate the beginning of official talks on Ukraine's accession to the EU in June.
"Brussels officials are pushing to begin formal negotiations over Ukraine joining the European Union as early as next month, according to people familiar with the matter," Politico said.
According to the media outlet, "diplomats from the EU and from Kiev are working intensively to try to persuade the Hungarian government to give its approval to opening talks on Ukraine's accession."
"The aim is to kickstart the formal negotiations as soon as June 25," Politico said.
An EU summit decided on December 14 to begin accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
