The head of the Moldavian Foreign Ministry spoke in favor of European integration of the country without Transnistria

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, Nicu Popescu, said that the country’s European integration should not depend on the Transnistrian settlement, Interfax reports.

“Citizens of Moldova should not be hostages of the geopolitical situation created in connection with the Transnistrian conflict,” Popescu said, answering journalists’ question about how Moldova plans to integrate into the European Union with an unresolved conflict on its territory.

“We still have time before we join the EU. We are busy with the hard work of bringing legislation into line with European standards and justice reform. All this will take time. But our goal is to be ready to join by 2030. And we will make efforts to resolve the Transnistrian conflict peacefully. Ensure that Russian troops are withdrawn from Moldova as a result of negotiations. It’s too early to say anything. We have several years ahead of us to move towards the EU, while at the same time working on a peaceful resolution of the conflict,” Popescu said.

In response to speculation about whether Moldova could choose to join the EU without Transnistria, the minister said: “I cannot answer this question. But what is clear is that the absolute majority of citizens in the controlled territory (on the right bank of the Dniester) will not want to be hostages of the geopolitical situation around the Transnistrian region. The official position of the EU: Moldova should not be a hostage to the settlement/non-settlement of this conflict. EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said this during his visit to Chisinau in June.”

Moldavian President Maia Sandu previously allowed the republic to join the EU “in two steps – first the right bank of the Dniester, and then the left.”