Foreign Policy Association together with Friedrich­Ebert-Stiftung offer you a newsletter on foreign policy and European integration issues of the Republic of Moldova. The newsletter is part of the “Foreign Policy Dialogue” joint Project. NEWSLETTER MONTHLY BULLETIN DECEMBER 2020 NR.12(178) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates The newsletter is developed by Sorina Ştefârţă, editor-coordinator TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Aurel Ciocoi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration: I think we have reached a national consensus on the process of modernizing the country by implementing European standards 2. Peter Michalko, Ambassador of the European Union: The European Union is constant: we are helping, we are informing, and if the commitments are broken- we are raising our voice and taking action 3. Nils Schmid, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag: What counts, above all, is substance in the implementation of reforms 4. Editorial by Victor Chirilă, executive director of the Foreign Policy Association(APE): Three essential conditions for a credible and effective foreign policy News in Brief The presidents of Romania, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia sent on Thursday, 24 December, a joint official statement in support of the President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, appointed on the same day.“Maia Sandu has received a strong mandate from the citizens of the Republic of Moldova who are waiting for changes, a more ambitious reform agenda, democracy and closer ties with the European Union,” said the statement of the seven heads of state, who expressed their“full” support for the new Moldovan president.“We support Ms. Maia Sandu in her efforts to develop a functioning democratic system in the Republic of Moldova, which should reflect the will of the country’s citizens. We are also willing to share our experience on the reforms and the European integration process, an approach that could contribute to the prosperity and well-being of the Republic of Moldova on its way to the EU”, said the statement of the seven presidents of the EU member states. The new Government of Romania aims at continuing the support actions for the direct benefit of the Moldovan citizens. According to the Government Programme 2020-2024 of the Romanian Executive, the Romanian state will make efforts to advance the strategic bilateral projects, especially those with an interconnection role(energy interconnection; in the field of road infrastructure/ construction or reconstruction of bridges across the Prut and construction of the Iași-Ungheni highway etc). It is also proposed to create a Democratization and Sustainable Development Fund for the Republic of Moldova, with an adequate financial allocation, within the budget of the Agency for International Development and Cooperation(RoAid) and to establish a working group of the European Commission for the Republic of Moldova whose aim will be to support the implementation of the Association Agreement with the European Union. Romania will also continue to support the comprehensive, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, with an emphasis on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within internationally recognized borders and without affecting its pro-European vector. The Strategic Partnership, Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the Republic of Moldova and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was signed on 24 December by the Foreign Minister, Aureliu Ciocoi, and the British Ambassador to Chisinau, Steven Fisher. The agreement will regulate the post-Brexit Moldovan-British relations and, according to Minister Ciocoi, the document will advance the bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, strengthening the economic and trade cooperation between the two sides to achieve trade liberalization, and helping create conditions for cooperation in various fields of mutual interest. In this context, it was emphasized that the document also brings good news for the economic agents and final consumers: once the agreement is signed by both countries, it will be applied provisionally, which will ensure free access of exporting companies to the market for goods and services on favourable terms. Thus, the trade relations between our countries will not be interrupted after the cessation of the application on the United Kingdom of the Association Agreement signed between the Republic of Moldova and the EU. Moldovan European Integration Forum 2020: a radiography at the end of the pandemic year Sorina Ștefârță The seventh edition of the Moldovan European Integration Forum, organised in Chisinau on 8 December by the Friedrich­Ebert-Stiftung and the Foreign Policy Association, in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, was not about the end of the presidential election campaign. However, the issue of the elections and, especially, the priorities announced by President Maia Sandu have been a leitmotif in the speeches of the participants. Either live, respecting the“pandemic” security measures, or connected online(2020 has taught us what seemed impossible until now), the protagonists of the three panels expressed their hope that the political turn produced in our country on 15 November will contribute to real reforms and modernization of the Republic of Moldova. This was said either more openly or discretely by the government officials (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Aureliu Ciocoi, or Radu Foltea, State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice), as well as by the business representatives, legal experts, political analysts, journalists. And one of the sharpest messages came from HE Peter Michalko, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova... “At the same Forum, in 2018, I thought that was the bottom in the EU­Moldova relations during my term, Monthly Bulletin, Nr. 12(178), december 2020 64, Sciusev str. MD-2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, Tel-Fax:+373 22 21 09 86 Website: www.ape.md E-mail: office@ape.md