President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu attended the Annual Conference on European Union Enlargement today, dedicated to the 2026 Enlargement Package, alongside European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos. The President reiterated the objective of concluding accession negotiations by 2028 and welcomed the strengthening of European mechanisms to safeguard the rule of law, ensuring that reforms are maintained after accession and that the Republic of Moldova cannot be diverted from its European path, TRIBUNA reports.

The head of state welcomed the conclusions of the 2026 Enlargement Report, which confirm the Republic of Moldova’s progress across all 33 negotiating chapters. Moldova has opened four of the six negotiating clusters and is ready to open the remaining two. For the first time, the European Commission noted that the objective of concluding negotiations by early 2028, although ambitious, is achievable.

“We have demonstrated that Moldova can move forward even when its security is under threat,” the President stated, referring to the progress achieved despite Russia’s war against Ukraine, energy crises, and attempts to destabilize the country.

The President thanked the European Commission and Commissioner Marta Kos for their support and emphasized that Moldova’s progress must be recognized through concrete, merit-based decisions by EU member states.

The head of state also expressed gratitude to the institutions involved, Parliament, civil society, the business community, local authorities, and the diaspora for their contributions to the reforms. She stressed that 2027 must be a year of tangible results, particularly in terms of implementation.

“Not all decisions regarding enlargement depend on us. But one thing certainly depends on each and every one of us: what kind of country we build at home. A country where the law is respected. Where people can work and live in safety. Where we are free, where we are respected, and where we respect others. This is the Moldova we must build, no matter how difficult the road may be. And this is the Moldova we want to bring into the European Union,” the head of state declared.

The conference, organized by the Bureau for European Integration and the Institute for European Policies and Reforms, included a presentation of the 2026 Enlargement Report for the Republic of Moldova by Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov. The event brought together representatives of state institutions, civil society, local authorities, the business community, and European officials.