Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip has hailed the transformations his country is undergoing on the path of European integration, with the help of the Council of Europe – and urged Europe to stay true to its values.
“The Republic of Moldova and the Council of Europe are connected by a shared history of 22 years of co-operation and 25 years of independence – years which have seen radical transformations,” he told parliamentarians in Strasbourg.
The Prime Minister listed many of the transformations in his country brought about by co-operation with the Council of Europe, as well as the prospect of closer relations with the European Union.
He listed steps to crack down on corruption and human trafficking, as well as prison reform, efforts to implement rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, and moves to boost decentralisation and regional development – including in the Gagauz Autonomous Region.
Ending the Assembly’s monitoring of the Republic of Moldova was a priority, he said.
“The European project inspires and mobilises us,” the Prime Minister concluded. “Europe’s capacity to adapt to change – without giving up its principles – offers us a guarantee for a better future in an ever-changing world.”