Michał Szczerba, a Member of the European Parliament from the Civic Platform, emphasizes that supporting the European integration process of the Republic of Moldova is crucial for Poland. Moldova was granted official candidate status for EU membership in 2022. According to the European Commission, the country is making systematic progress despite unprecedented challenges, including Moscow’s intensified hybrid operations aimed at destabilizing Moldova internally. The allocated aid package is designed to support Moldova in implementing the reforms necessary for EU accession.
“Moldova is a candidate country for the European Union, just like Ukraine and Georgia. However, it has undoubtedly demonstrated its social and democratic resilience, particularly during the presidential elections when third-party actors, namely the Russian Federation, attempted to interfere in the democratic process,” Szczerba stated in an interview with Newseria.
Moldova officially obtained EU candidate status in June 2022. The European Commission’s October 2024 assessment indicated that both Chișinău and Kyiv are at a similar stage in their preparations for accession.
According to the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), the European Commission has generally evaluated Moldova’s democracy positively. However, significant shortcomings remain, including the yet-to-be-implemented local government reform. The Commission highlighted substantial progress in the area that had previously posed the greatest challenge for the authorities in Chișinău—the judicial system. Corruption remains a persistent issue. At the same time, the Commission acknowledges Moldova’s systematic progress despite the challenges posed by Moscow’s hybrid actions aimed at destabilizing the country from within.
“Moldova needs our support due to its geographical location, as it is close to the war zone. On the other hand, it also needs reforms, financial resources, foreign investments, and pre-accession programs. The European Parliament is offering these solutions, and we not only want to debate them but also make concrete decisions,” Szczerba declared.
In February 2025, the EU Council and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement on the Reform and Economic Growth Support Instrument for Moldova. A total of over €1.8 billion will be allocated between 2025 and 2027 to accelerate economic modernization and implement reforms related to EU accession (€1.5 billion in preferential loans and €385 million in non-repayable grants). According to OSW, these funds aim to stimulate the country’s economy and initiate investments in Moldova’s social infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. The aid will also help mitigate the effects of the suspension of U.S. development assistance in January. USAID had been implementing dozens of projects in Moldova, amounting to approximately $482 million, making the U.S. the largest state donor. The aid covered the energy sector, economic development support (including IT and agriculture), and key systemic reforms.
EU funds provide significant support for the pro-Western ruling party, the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), ahead of parliamentary elections. This is particularly important in the context of the economic crisis and rising poverty rates.
“Issues of democratic resilience—essentially a democratic shield—concern not only candidate countries like Ukraine or Moldova but also EU member states. There have been attempts at interference, such as in Romania, where cryptocurrencies and social media were used by third parties. Given this, I am absolutely convinced that Moldova should be a priority for European institutions. Let’s protect Moldova’s democracy because we want Moldova in the European Union,” Szczerba argued.
In October 2024, a referendum was held on amending Moldova’s constitution to include EU integration as a strategic national goal. A narrow majority (50.38%) of voters supported the amendment. This result is seen as a warning signal for the country’s pro-European authorities. However, the referendum process was marred by numerous irregularities. Reports indicate that nearly $40 million was funneled into Moldova for electoral bribery, which, considering the electorate of around 3 million people, could have significantly influenced the outcome. The European Union plays a crucial role in safeguarding Moldova’s democracy.
“This involves various measures to combat disinformation, strengthen societal resilience, and enhance intelligence cooperation. Many of these issues could have been avoided if there had been timely warnings rather than reacting after the fact, as happened in Romania. There are numerous tools available, but we also need to leverage EU legislation on digital matters and artificial intelligence. These present both opportunities and serious threats,” the MEP from Civic Platform emphasized.
