Moldova expects to receive 300 million euros from the European Union in 2024, Radu Marian, Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Economy, Budget and Finance said.
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The EU summit on December 14 decided to launch negotiations on future membership of the European Union with Ukraine and Moldova.
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“It is obvious that we will negotiate. In 2024 we expect an influx of approximately 300 million euros. Obviously, part of it should go to finance the deficit, given that there are funds, many of them are free (grants),” Radu Marian said.
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According to him, these funds are due to Moldova as a candidate country. He believes the money will be used to fund energy efficiency projects as well as investment in schools.
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“We may have even more funds in 2027, but that is too far away. We are currently negotiating with the European Union to have access to more funds much earlier,” Marian added.
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In June 2022, the EU granted EU candidate country status to Ukraine and Moldova, setting several strict conditions for the formal start of accession negotiations. The EU has repeatedly admitted that such a decision was largely symbolic in order to support Kyiv and Chisinau in their confrontation with Moscow. The status of a candidate country in itself, as well as the start of negotiations, does not necessarily mean that the country will join the European Union; these steps also do not oblige Brussels to anything.
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Obtaining candidate status is only the beginning of a rather long journey towards joining the EU. Turkey has been in candidate status since 1999, and has been negotiating membership with the EU since 2005, North Macedonia since 2005, Montenegro since 2010, and Serbia since 2012. Croatia was the last country to join the EU in 2013; the process took 10 years.
