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 MAY 2022 NR.5(195) Synthesis and Foreign Policy Debates NTheewnselewttselre-tutel resistedreevaelliozpaet ddebyMMădăădlăinlinNNeceșcușțuuț,ur,eeddaitcotor-rc-ocooordrdinoantaotror TOPICS OF THE EDITION: 1. Daniela Morari, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the EU: «What will make the difference in the decision taken by the European Council will be the transition from the neighbourhood to the enlargement policy approach» 2. Editorial by Radu Magdin, International Political Consultant: «Moldova needs EU candidate status and effective support for its membership perspective» 3. Stefan Meister, Programme director for German Foreign Relations Council(DGAP): «I expect potential candidate status, maybe with a roadmap» 4. Opinion of the Expert by Mihai Mogâldea, Deputy Executive Director of IPRE: «Moldova must obtain the status of a candidate country for EU membership» News in Brief European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis has underlined the EU’s military assistance to Moldova,“Ukraine’s most affected neighbour,”.“Our support for Ukraine is unprecedented, mobilizing all instruments: political, military, economic and humanitarian, and it will continue. We have also significantly stepped up our support for Moldova, Ukraine’s most affected neighbour,” the European official said at the European Parliament meeting on June 7. He also said that it is about“increasing the measures of non-lethal military assistance that Georgia and Moldova benefit from”. Assistance will consist of supporting logistics capacity, cyber defence, military medicine, engineering, and mobility. The European official also said that the EU continues to provide military support at a fast pace.“Our unprecedented€ 2 billion military support package under the European Peace Facility helps Ukraine defend its population and territorial integrity.” The European Commission proposed on June 9 a regulation to temporarily improve market access for the remaining seven agricultural products in the Republic of Moldova that are still subject to tariff quotas upon entry into the EU. Through this measure, the EU expresses its support for the Republic of Moldova to cope with the loss of its main markets and transit centers for these key agricultural products as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified aggression seriously affects not only the economy of Ukraine, but also that of its neighbours and ours, in this case, of Moldova. Today’s decision, which more than doubled seven quotas for key Moldovan agricultural exports, is a concrete response of the EU solidarity,” said the European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen. Magistrate Veronica Dragalin is the new head of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Moldova, after her election on June 7 in this position following a competition. Veronica Dragalin has had a distinguished career in the United States, where she became Deputy Prosecutor of the United States of America in the section on public corruption and civil rights in the office of the American prosecutor in the Central District of California. The nominee has won several awards during her career, including the“Case of the Year”” award from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Weapons and Explosives and the FBI Director’s Award. She is nominated for the National Award for Young Federal Prosecutor and the Senior Prosecutor Award for Women in the Federal Judiciary. Dragalin emigrated in her early age with her family to Italy, Germany, and then to the United States. In 2008, Veronica Dragalin graduated from the Faculty of Biology and Chemistry at the University of Durham, North Carolina, and in 2011, the Faculty of Law at the University of Virginia, after which she pursued a career in US justice. Fast forward towards Europe: Republic of Moldova face to face with the decision of the European Council The Republic of Moldova is facing perhaps the most important moment since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. 31 years later, the country hopes to receive a positive opinion from the European Commission, which will then allow it to become an EU candidate state. An answer in this sense is expected at the European Council to be held in Brussels on June 23 to 24. The decision will be eminently political in the case of the Republic of Moldova and may come as a package with the decisions on Ukraine and then Georgia. The Republic of Moldova has shown a strong political will so far in promoting the European agenda Monthly newsletter, No.5(195), May 2022 111 Bucuresti St., Chisinau, MD-2012, Republic of Moldova, Tel.+373 855830 Website: fes-moldova.org. E-mail:fes@fes-moldova.org