Moldova deserves EU candidate status, Georgia's EU candidate status depends on reforms - European Commission president

BRUSSELS. June 17 (Interfax) - Moldova deserves European Union candidate status, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

"We also recommend to grant Moldova the candidate status, on the understanding that the country will carry out reforms," von der Leyen said at a press conference in Brussels on Friday.

She said that the Moldovan authorities had been on a real pro-reform path with a clear mandate from their citizens.

Meanwhile, according to von der Leyen, the European Commission believes that Georgia needs to carry out reforms before its application for EU candidate status is reviewed.

She said that Georgia's application is strong yet "Georgia must now come together politically to design a clear path towards structural reform and the EU."

"So we recommend Georgia be granted a European future, but to come back and assess how it meets a number of conditions before granting it candidate status," von der Leyen said.