Expatrick

Full statement by U.v d L today, obviously subject to some sort of resolution to the present situation and the conditions outlined by the Commission.

Statement

Posted in the Europe section (as opposed to TIO) as not intended or needs to be contentious.

OrangeMango

This process will take more than a while. Consider that both countries have a considerable amount of corruption to deal with.
And not every candidate makes it to full EU membership.

Pulaski

The existence, or not, of Transnistria, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) as an unrecognised breakaway state that is internationally recognised as being part of Moldova, is likely to prove problematic for accepting Maldova into either the EU or NATO, as there is apparently a Russian military presence in Transnistria.

OrangeMango

I am aware of that problem. However I think that candidacy status, is just what it means, just candidacy. Issues will have to get resolved and Transnistria will certainly be one of them.

On the other hand the western world, had to make a sign, a positive gesture towards the Ukraine and Moldova.

Also, I think the western world is partly to blame for their stupid populism, Donald Trump, Brexit, Scottish independence, and all that idiocy left the west blindfolded for more than a while, towards what Russia was doing. Annexing Crimea, shooting down civilian airplanes like Malaysia, poisonings with Novichock and Polonium, all with impunity, and nobody cares, as populism seems more important......