Moldova to continue reforms needed for European integration - Moldovan foreign affairs and European integration minister

CHISINAU. April 1 (Interfax) - Moldova will continue reforms needed for European integration "despite the crises and new challenges associated with the events in the neighboring Ukraine," Moldovan Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu said on Friday at a press conference in Chisinau he gave jointly with Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.

"The solidarity manifested by the EU partners confirms that the best future for Moldova is European integration. We have discussed everything that concerns Moldova's European ambitions. I emphasize that we were very affected by the events in the neighboring Ukraine, but reforms such as modernization of the economy and the fight against corruption continue in Moldova. Because we can only make Moldova a country that deserves EU membership by specific actions," Popescu said.

Moldova should receive from the European Commission in the near future a questionnaire that will help assess the country's compliance with the European standards, "and it is an important step in the European integration process, he said.

"This [the work with the questionnaire] will require colossal institutional efforts to systematize all information on 33 points [of compliance with the EU standards]: including harmonization of the national legislation with European, administrative potentials, policies," Popescu said.

Popescu said he is confident that Moldova's European integration process will get a new impetus after the Czech Republic becomes chair of the European Union in the second half of this year, and it was discussed during the meeting.