Sittings · Document
P10_TA(2026)0260
2025 Commission report on Moldova
Committee on Foreign Affairs
PE782.290
European Parliament resolution of 8 July 2026 on the 2025 Commission report on Moldova (2025/2258(INI))
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the Commission communication of 4 November 2025 entitled ‘2025 Communication on EU enlargement policy’ (COM(2025)0690), accompanied by the Commission staff working document of 4 November 2025 entitled ‘Republic of Moldova 2025 Report’ (SWD(2025)0758),
– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2025/535 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 March 2025 establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Republic of Moldova,
– having regard to the Reform Agenda under the Republic of Moldova’s (hereinafter ‘Moldova’) Growth Plan for the years 2025-2027,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Moldova,
– having regard to the European Council conclusions on Moldova of 26 June 2025,
– having regard to the Presidency conclusions on enlargement of 16 December 2025,
– having regard to the Joint Declaration following the second Republic of Moldova-EU Summit of 22 June 2026,
– having regard to the outcomes of the ninth EU-Republic of Moldova Association Council meeting on 4 June 2025,
– having regard to the renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the European Parliament and the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova, signed on 18 March 2026,
– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (A10-0164/2026),
A. whereas on 22 September 2025, Moldova concluded the bilateral screening that began on 10 July 2024; whereas Moldova is ready to formally open negotiations on all six clusters for EU accession negotiations; whereas negotiations on cluster 1 (Fundamentals) were formally opened on 15 June 2026;
B. whereas the Government of Moldova has signalled its ambitious yet achievable objective to provisionally close accession negotiations by early 2028 and to join the European Union by 2030;
C. whereas Moldova held parliamentary elections on 28 September 2025, which resulted in a pro-European majority and reaffirmed the aspirations of the Moldovan people for a European future for their country, despite unprecedented foreign interference by Russia and Russian proxies, which, according to Moldovan officials, spent the equivalent of 2 % of the Moldovan gross domestic product, the equivalent of EUR 350 million, on this interference;
D. whereas Moldova is holding technical negotiations with the Commission on all six clusters for EU accession negotiations;
E. whereas the Association Agreement, which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), remains the basis for political association and economic integration between the EU and Moldova, and regular political and economic dialogue is ongoing between the two sides;
F. whereas on 19 January 2026 the Government of Moldova announced its intention to formally withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States, on 2 April 2026 the Parliament of Moldova officially passed legislation in its final reading to denounce that organisation’s founding documents, and on 6 April 2026 President Maia Sandu signed a decree to promulgate the law;
Progress with EU accession-related reforms, in particular on the rule of law and governance
1. Commends Moldova for its continued exemplary commitment to EU accession and its steadfast progress with related reforms despite significant internal and external challenges, such as persistent hostile Russian interference; welcomes the Commission’s assessment that Moldova made progress across all chapters and achieved the biggest annual progress among the candidate countries; considers this progress particularly remarkable given the extraordinary geopolitical pressure under which the country continues to operate; encourages Moldova to maintain the pace of reforms, so that progress translates into tangible benefits for citizens and businesses, strengthening economic development, resilience and convergence with the European Union in line with its stated ambition to provisionally close accession negotiations by early 2028;
2. Welcomes the opening of accession negotiations on cluster 1 (Fundamentals) on 15 June 2026 following the successful completion of the bilateral screening process in September 2025 and the subsequent start of technical talks on the negotiation clusters; welcomes the Commission’s assessment that all six negotiation clusters are ready to be opened; urges the Council to take a merit-based approach and formally open all clusters without any further delay; reminds the Member States of the principle of sincere cooperation under Article 4(3) of the Treaty on European Union, which requires them to refrain from any measure which could jeopardise the attainment of the Union’s objectives, and therefore urges them to avoid blocking or delaying accession negotiations based on bilateral issues; emphasises that opening accession negotiations would signal that the EU recognises and rewards Moldova’s concrete achievements, reinforcing the credibility and integrity of the enlargement process; welcomes the adoption of road maps on the rule of law, on public administration and on democratic institutions, and the updated National Programme for Accession to the European Union for the period 2025–2029; commends the progress already achieved by Moldova at the technical level in the transposition of the EU acquis;
3. Underlines that the pace of the Moldova’s accession process should reflect the significant progress it has made on reforms; calls on the Commission to actively facilitate and provide preparatory support, including technical assistance, follow-up verifications and administrative capacity building, to enable Moldova to make progress in the negotiations effectively and in all clusters simultaneously;
4. Recognises that Moldova’s European integration contributes positively to stability and security in Europe and serves as a vital catalyst for the country’s democratic resilience, institutional reform, the rule of law, and sustainable economic development;
5. Notes the Commission’s assessment that Moldova has made good progress in reforming the justice sector; reminds Moldova of its commitment to follow the recommendations of the Venice Commission; stresses that the sustainability of reforms requires broad political ownership and inclusive dialogue across the political spectrum, as well as meaningful consultation with civil society and professional stakeholders; recognises Moldova’s consistent political will and sustained efforts to build an independent, impartial, accountable and professional judicial system;
6. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to ensure that the vetting process of judges and prosecutors is conducted in an inclusive, predictable and legally robust manner and encourages the country to effectively conclude the process without delay, as completing vetting is critical to ensuring public trust in the judiciary, eliminating compromised judges, and reinforcing the rule of law as a cornerstone for EU integration; calls on Moldova to ensure sufficient budgetary and human resources for judicial bodies and continue taking measures to strengthen their capacities in order, inter alia, to address the deficit of judges and prosecutors, reduce the length of proceedings, especially in corruption and economic crime cases, and improve the digitalisation, accessibility, efficiency and transparency of justice for all citizens;
7. Notes the consistent progress made by Moldova in preventing and fighting against corruption, with its improved track record in both high-level and non-high-level cases; highlights the need to further strengthen operational capacities, institutional independence, professionalism and accountability, and enhance coordination mechanisms among all key anti-corruption and justice institutions, in order to guarantee the long-term success of comprehensive reforms;
8. Stresses that anti-corruption efforts must be pursued in a consistent, depoliticised and transparent manner, avoiding ad hoc or expedited legislative initiatives that may undermine legal certainty and institutional trust; emphasises the importance of prioritising quality, sustainability and due process over the speed of reforms in order to ensure the long-term credibility and resilience of the anti-corruption framework;
9. Stresses that continuing to address the influence of oligarchic structures in the political, economic and media spheres remains a key priority for advancing Moldova’s European integration;
10. Highlights the fact that the parliamentary elections of 28 September 2025 were the fifth consecutive vote confirming the support of the people of Moldova for the country’s EU accession and related reforms; strongly condemns the repeated attempts by the Russian Federation, pro-Russian oligarchs and Russian proxies to destabilise the country, create and disseminate disinformation, sow division within Moldovan society, undermine the country’s democratic institutions, and reverse its European course;
11. Welcomes the assessment of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)/Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) that the parliamentary elections were well-organised, competitive and offered voters a clear choice among political alternatives; invites Moldova to further align its legislation pertaining to elections and its electoral processes with European and international standards and implement all the unaddressed recommendations of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR;
12. Commends the resilience shown by the Moldovan institutions and society in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process despite a massive hybrid campaign by Russia and its proxies; notes that key factors of this success were the timely and coordinated efforts of the Moldovan authorities, the active involvement of civil society and independent media and the support of the EU and its Member States, including through the EU Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM);
13. Warns that malign Russian interference is a continuous and evolving process that requires constant monitoring and a response based on a whole-of-society approach, adequate institutional capabilities and resources; calls for the EU and its Member States to strengthen their support for Moldova’s institutional resilience, strategic communication capacities, cybersecurity, independent media and democratic safeguards; stresses that its efforts to counter the spread of disinformation and misinformation from Russia should comply with the requirements of legality, necessity and proportionality; notes that experience gained in Moldova can be used to defend other democracies facing similar hybrid threats; expresses serious concern over the activities of pro-Russian networks, which have been linked to large-scale sanctions circumvention, electoral interference and disinformation campaigns through the use of cryptocurrency infrastructures connected to Russian financial actors such as Promsvyazbank; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen financial intelligence cooperation, enhance sanctions enforcement and support the Moldovan authorities in countering illicit financial flows and foreign interference through non-EU countries, including through targeted sanctions and cyber-monitoring measures;
14. Highlights the vital role of the Moldovan diaspora in keeping the country on its European path, as demonstrated by their active participation in democratic processes, including the parliamentary elections of 28 September 2025, and its significant contributions to the socio-economic development of Moldova; calls on the Moldovan authorities to continue strengthening ties with the diaspora and facilitating their active involvement in the country’s European integration process;
15. Calls on the Moldovan authorities to leverage their strong pro-European mandate to accelerate the pace of key reforms required for the EU membership path and to meet the ambition of closing accession negotiations by early 2028; recognises Moldova’s strong commitment as a candidate country to undertake demanding but necessary reforms; urges the Moldovan political elite to sustain political consensus over EU accession; underlines that it is essential to sustain the trust of Moldovan citizens in the EU accession process, including through the timely, formal opening of accession negotiations; welcomes the establishment of the dedicated Parliamentary Committee for European Integration within the Moldovan Parliament and underlines the importance of cross-party cooperation for the sustainable success of EU accession-related reforms and progress towards EU membership;
16. Expresses its readiness to continue supporting the Parliament of Moldova through mutually agreed democracy support activities that respond to the needs of that institution, its elected members and staff; highlights the formal opening of the European Parliament Eastern Partnership office in Chișinău on 7 November 2025, demonstrating Parliament’s commitment to deepening its engagement with Moldova and the entire Eastern Partnership region; welcomes, in this context, the renewed memorandum of understanding signed by President Metsola and the Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu in March 2026;
17. Welcomes the organisation of the first-ever EU–Moldova Summit in July 2025 as a major political milestone in EU–Moldova relations and a strong political signal of support for Moldova’s sovereignty, democratic stability and European path; notes the Joint Declaration following the second EU-Moldova Summit on 22 June 2026, which highlights both Moldova’s commitment to continuing to strengthen the rule of law and the EU’s encouragement to further step up efforts in the areas of judiciary reform and the fight against corruption;
18. Stresses the importance of countering disinformation regarding the European integration process; urges the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the Moldovan Government to step up their joint strategic communication efforts to improve the visibility of the EU in Moldova; highlights the need for targeted campaigns to explain the tangible, daily benefits of preparations for EU accession and EU-funded projects to the Moldovan public, particularly in rural areas and regions;
19. Stresses the importance of democracy support actions in Moldova that improve the quality of democratic debate and anti-disinformation resilience; welcomes the cooperation by the Moldovan authorities and civil society actors with, inter alia, the European Endowment for Democracy (EED) as a tool that can fill the vacuum left by the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in the region; congratulates the EED in this context for providing 62 % more grants in 2025 than in 2024, with just 34 % more budget; welcomes the fact that in 2025 the EED tripled its support for Moldovan entities compared with 2024;
20. Reiterates that the Moldovan people’s support for European integration can be strengthened by achieving a tangible improvement in their livelihoods, strengthening state institutions, reinforcing a robust welfare system, fighting poverty, raising the standard of living throughout the country, and fighting corruption and oligarchic influence;
Socio-economic reforms
21. Welcomes the good progress achieved so far in implementing the Moldova Growth Plan and its underpinning Reform Agenda, which is aimed at supporting Moldova’s socio-economic and fundamental reforms and enhancing its access to the EU’s single market; welcomes the disbursement of EUR 270 million in pre-financing and EUR 207,9 million in additional support from the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova, including the second tranche in March 2026 totalling EUR 189 million, as a result of the country fully achieving 24 out of a total of 26 reform steps with a deadline of December 2025; calls on Moldova to continue working towards completing the remaining two reform steps with a deadline of 2025 and supports it in this endeavour; calls on the Commission to streamline internal procedures to ensure the timely assessment and disbursement of funds upon the adoption in Moldova of legislation, drafts of which the Moldovan authorities had previously submitted and consulted on;
22. Calls on the Commission to provide administrative and technical assistance to the Moldovan authorities to ensure the timely and effective absorption of funds from the Reform and Growth Facility; calls on the Moldovan Government to ensure effective communication, transparency, visibility and accountability regarding the use of funds from this facility, including through the constructive involvement of civil society;
23. Calls for the 2027 EU budget to provide targeted administrative and technical assistance to prepare Moldova for the transition to the new structure of the upcoming multiannual financial framework (MFF) and the Global Europe instrument; stresses the need to assist the Moldovan administration in adapting to the future ‘Europe’ pillar delivery model; stresses that the allocation and release of funds must remain strictly conditional upon the fulfilment of agreed reform milestones, macro-financial stability, sound financial management, transparency of budget implementation and the existence of effective safeguards against fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest; reiterates its call on the Commission to include in the EU’s next MFF an adequate specific country allocation for Moldova within the future Global Europe ‘Europe’ pillar and to begin preparing Moldova to efficiently use future pre-accession funds; insists that explicit and transparent pre-accession allocations are necessary to track expenditure effectively and prevent the dilution of funds within broad geographic pillars;
24. Commends the agreement reached on 24 July 2025 on the review and update of the trade terms of the EU-Moldova DCFTA, which offers stability and predictability for EU and Moldovan operators, and increases the country’s attractiveness for investors; notes that the agreement coincided with the expiry of the autonomous trade measures granted to the country since July 2022, which suspended import duties and quotas on Moldovan exports to the EU and thereby helped Moldova reorient its trade towards the EU to mutual benefit; highlights that the EU is Moldova’s biggest trading partner, accounting for 67,5 % of total exports and 54,1 % of total imports in 2025, as well as for 86 % of foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2024, consolidating its position as the central pillar of FDI in Moldova’s economy; stresses the importance of EU direct investments in Moldova’s economy in facilitating the country’s economic integration into the EU single market, generating employment and business opportunities and improving the livelihoods of citizens;
25. Welcomes the deepening of Moldova’s economic integration into the EU single market and encourages further steps towards gradual sectoral integration and an ambitious, gradual and sustainable liberalisation of trade, including through the expansion and easing of tariff-rate quotas and, where appropriate, their progressive elimination, in line with the revised DCFTA framework, in order to deliver tangible economic benefits, strengthen Moldova’s resilience and support its European integration path; calls on the Commission, in particular, to explore the further progressive liberalisation of trade in agri-food products, including the removal of remaining non-tariff barriers and increased support for regulatory alignment, in particular as regards sanitary and phytosanitary standards and technical barriers to trade and the introduction of semi-automatic increases in tariff quotas, linked to utilisation rates and compliance with EU standards, while ensuring appropriate safeguard mechanisms for EU producers;
26. Notes that the significant increase in the Transnistrian region’s trade with the rest of Moldova and its export dependency on the EU could enable the conditions for the region’s economic convergence with Moldova’s legal framework, fostering a de facto economic reintegration that could serve as a pragmatic foundation for a peaceful political settlement and the eventual reunification of the country; supports Moldova’s efforts to include the Transnistrian region in economic and regulatory convergence measures related to the EU single market; welcomes efforts by the authorities in Chișinău to extend the application of Moldovan tax legislation to companies operating in the Transnistrian region as a step towards regulatory alignment and economic integration;
27. Reiterates the importance of civil society organisations (CSOs) and independent media in monitoring the governance and progress of EU-related reforms; insists that financial support for Moldovan CSOs under the 2027 EU budget and the future Global Europe instrument remain independent of progress made by the government in reforms; calls for predictable, dedicated, flexible and accessible funding streams for local CSOs and human rights defenders through the new financing mechanisms included in the Reform Agenda to ensure they can operate effectively; calls on the Moldovan Government to engage in genuine and effective cooperation with civil society, including through permanent consultative platforms; calls on the Moldovan Government to make headway in implementing the national programme for the development of CSOs for the period 2024-2027; welcomes the regular consultations held regarding the EU accession process and accession-related reforms;
28. Reiterates its call for the acceleration of Moldova’s gradual integration into the EU single market by continuing to align its legal and regulatory framework with the EU acquis and associating the country with more EU programmes, agencies and initiatives, including those related to the digital economy, financial services and innovation; congratulates Moldova on becoming an operational part of the Single Euro Payments Area from 6 October 2025, facilitating transfers in euros and reducing costs for Moldovan citizens and businesses; welcomes Moldova’s inclusion in the EU’s ‘roam like at home’ area as of 1 January 2026, allowing Moldovan citizens to use their Moldovan phone numbers while travelling in the EU without incurring roaming fees; highlights that such tangible benefits play a key role in strengthening public support for EU integration; encourages further alignment with the EU digital acquis and continued efforts to strengthen connectivity, digital infrastructure and market integration;
29. Underlines the critical need to accelerate comprehensive public administration reform; calls on the Moldovan Government to ensure a fully merit-based, professional and transparent civil service at both central and local levels, which is essential for the effective implementation of the EU acquis; stresses that meaningful territorial-administrative reform is crucial to empower local authorities, as the current fragmentation of municipalities severely hinders their financial independence and their administrative capacity to successfully apply for, absorb and manage EU regional development funds; highlights the need to provide targeted educational programmes and capacity-building support to local and regional authorities to empower them to successfully apply for, absorb and manage available EU funding opportunities;
30. Underlines that a successful EU accession process requires strong local ownership; regrets the lack of formal mechanisms for local and regional governments (LRGs) in the proposed MFF architecture; calls on the Moldovan Government and the Commission to systematically involve Moldovan LRGs and their associations in the drafting of multiannual indicative programmes and action plans; urges the creation of dedicated capacity-building measures and funding streams within the future Global Europe framework to support Moldovan municipalities in implementing decentralisation reforms and EU-aligned public services;
31. Welcomes Moldova’s participation in ‘Creative Europe’, the EU programme supporting the cultural and creative sectors, from 1 January 2026, as well as in the employment and social innovation component of the European Social Fund Plus, allowing Moldova to access EU funds for projects aimed at reducing unemployment, improving the quality of jobs and promoting social innovation; calls on the Commission to support the country’s inclusion in the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications, the European Environment Agency, Erasmus+, the DiscoverEU Programme, and the school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme;
Human rights
32. Welcomes the efforts by the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to improve the legislative framework for gender equality, combating domestic violence and protecting victims and to align it with international and European standards, including the criminalisation of digital violence and forced marriage, and the introduction of femicide into its Criminal Code; calls on the authorities of the Republic of Moldova to strengthen the effective implementation of current legislation on combating violence against women, including domestic violence, and on protecting victims;
33. Welcomes the ongoing implementation of the national strategy on trafficking in human beings adopted in September 2023; calls on Moldova to further strengthen its legal and institutional framework, including by introducing more effective tools for public authorities to investigate and prosecute emerging forms of exploitation;
34. Notes that the legal and institutional framework for the rights of persons with disabilities in Moldova needs further alignment with the EU acquis and relevant international standards; calls in particular for aligning the framework for accessibility with the European Accessibility Act;
35. Is concerned by the Chișinău city authorities’ attempts to ban Chișinău Pride and by the violent attacks against the peaceful march by counter-protesters; condemns the misinformation and targeted online disinformation campaigns propagated by Russian-affiliated local media in Moldova; calls on Moldova to ensure the right to freedom of assembly for all;
36. Calls on Moldova to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for the protection of the rights of persons belonging to minorities, including LGBTI people;
Academic cooperation and people-to-people contacts
37. Welcomes the significant progress made by Moldova in bringing its higher education system into line with the European Higher Education Area, including the participation of three Moldovan institutions in European Universities alliances as associated partners; further commends the country’s involvement in the international dimension of the 2021-2027 Erasmus+ programme and its participation in four European Education Area working groups;
38. Welcomes Moldova’s growing engagement with European research and innovation networks and encourages its further integration with Horizon Europe, which would provide universities and research institutions with access to European funding, collaborative research infrastructures and scientific partnerships;
Energy, the environment and connectivity
39. Commends the country’s continued efforts to align the Moldovan energy sector with the EU acquis and to move towards its full integration into the EU energy market in order to ensure Moldova’s energy security and resilience;
40. Notes with satisfaction that Moldova achieved the highest scores in transposing European legislation among the member countries of the Energy Community, also being the early mover among the Community’s Contracting Parties in fully transposing the Electricity Integration Package; calls on the Commission, the Energy Community Secretariat and other relevant actors to ensure Moldova’s full coupling with the EU electricity market by 2028 at the latest;
41. Stresses that in order to further strengthen Moldova’s energy resilience, its authorities, with EU support, should continue diversifying its energy supply sources, accelerate its integration into the European energy market, step up investment in energy efficiency for public and residential buildings, increase domestic energy production and encourage demand reduction; welcomes Moldova’s significant increase in its share of renewable energy, which reached around 25 % of consumption in 2025 and 1 GW of total installed capacity, a significant milestone in developing the country’s local energy production and energy transition;
42. Welcomes the March 2025 government action plan to eliminate all dependence on Russian energy resources across the electricity, gas and petroleum sectors, adopted as part of the implementation of the EU-Moldova Comprehensive Strategy for Energy Independence and Resilience of 4 February 2025; recalls that in 2025 Russia stopped supplying the Cuciurgan power plant with gas, in a coercive attempt to influence Moldova’s international choices, and that the first victims of the ensuing energy crisis were the people on both sides of the Dniester River;
43. Welcomes the completion of the construction of the Vulcănești-Chișinău 400 kV overhead power line in December 2025, with electricity transmission through the power line expected to start in 2026; notes that this practical step reduces Moldova’s reliance on energy infrastructure in the Transnistrian region and its vulnerability to hostile Russian influence, and enables the country to connect securely and reliably to the European electricity grid through Romania;
44. Calls on the Commission to maximise the use of cross-border cooperation allocations available under the future Global Europe instrument and the National and Regional Partnership Fund to further accelerate the integration of Moldova’s transport, energy and digital infrastructure with the European single market; stresses that such funding should prioritise high-impact projects involving transport, energy and digital infrastructure, including cross-border interconnections, domestic renewable energy production, energy efficiency, Trans-European Transport Network alignment, energy grid synchronisation and broadband expansion; encourages the rapid development of additional energy interconnection projects with Moldova, such as the Suceava-Bălți and Gutinaș-Strășeni 400 kV overhead power lines;
45. Strongly condemns the Russian attacks of March 2026 against Ukrainian energy infrastructure that threatened Moldova’s energy and water security, which had a direct impact on the security of water resources and on the public health of 80 % of the country’s citizens, for whom the Dniester River is the main source of freshwater and drinking water, and which created a 15-day environmental emergency in the Republic of Moldova; welcomes the swift and coordinated response by the Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities and transmission system operators and calls for the EU and its Member States to provide Moldova with additional financial resources, technical assistance and specialised equipment to enhance its capacity to deal with future ecological catastrophes;
46. Highlights that Moldova continues to face significant environmental challenges, including air and water pollution, insufficient waste management infrastructure and ongoing biodiversity loss; stresses the need to strengthen administrative capacity, improve enforcement of environmental legislation and ensure adequate investment in environmental infrastructure;
47. Recalls that Moldova has already suffered profoundly from the severe security, economic and social fallout of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine; expresses deep concern that the country is now poised to be among those most severely affected by the worsening global economic and energy crises resulting from the ongoing war in the Middle East; calls for the EU and its Member States to demonstrate continued, unwavering solidarity with Moldova and to provide the necessary support to help mitigate the impact of these overlapping external shocks on its citizens and its economy;
Cooperation in common foreign and security policy and progress on the Transnistrian settlement
48. Commends Moldova for its consistent cooperation on foreign policy issues and its efforts to fully align with the EU’s common foreign and security policy positions; notes that Moldova’s alignment rate with the EU’s foreign, security and defence policy, including mirroring of the EU’s sanctions against Russia, was 88 %; invites the country to continue to improve this alignment, including on restrictive measures against Russia, and to continue cooperation on preventing the circumvention of sanctions against Russia and Belarus related to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine; commends Moldova for hosting the highest number of displaced Ukrainians per capita and for coping with significant social, economic and administrative pressures as a result of the large inflow of refugees; welcomes Moldova’s increased participation in EU missions and operations under the EU’s common security and defence policy, such as Operation Althea in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the EU Training Mission in Somalia;
49. Acknowledges the role of trilateral cooperation between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine (the ‘Odesa Triangle’) in strengthening regional security, advancing the EU integration process for Moldova and Ukraine, enhancing the connectivity of these countries with the EU, and countering hybrid threats from the Russian Federation, including disinformation and foreign information manipulation, cyber-attacks and energy threats;
50. Welcomes the extension of the mandate of the EUPM in the Republic of Moldova until 31 May 2027 and calls on the Member States to contribute the necessary experts and financial resources; encourages the EU to continue supporting Moldova’s resilience and preparedness, for example, against unprecedented Russian interference, through the EUPM, Hybrid Rapid Response Teams, Cyber Rapid Response Teams and the EU Cybersecurity Reserve;
51. Highlights that physical attacks against critical infrastructure and security provocations are systematically accompanied by foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI) campaigns aimed at sowing panic among the population and undermining public trust in the Moldovan authorities; stresses, therefore, the crucial importance of equipping the Moldovan institutions with robust tools for rapid crisis communication to effectively fight disinformation and ensure the swift dissemination of factual information; notes, in particular, the steps taken in 2025 to enhance the operational capacity of the Centre for Strategic Communications and Countering Disinformation and the National Agency for Cybersecurity; calls for the strategic use of available funds in 2027 and beyond to bolster Moldova’s capacity for strategic communication, cybersecurity and countering FIMI ahead of its target accession date; calls for the EU to apply lessons learnt from the experience gained in Moldova in protecting the electoral process and democratic institutions and fighting FIMI to the EU itself and to other candidate countries; welcomes, in this regard, efforts made by Member States’ public broadcasters to provide fact-based content to the Moldovan public;
52. Expresses concern about the instrumentalisation of religious structures for political purposes, consistent with the Russian Military Doctrine and the National Security Strategy, including attempts to influence public opinion and electoral processes in ways that may undermine Moldova’s European path; calls on the authorities of Moldova to ensure full respect for freedom of religion while preventing any undue external interference or manipulation that could affect the country’s democratic processes and strategic direction; strongly condemns the use of the Moscow-affiliated Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova, under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church, as a vehicle for Kremlin-directed disinformation, electoral interference and hybrid influence in the Republic of Moldova;
53. Reiterates its full commitment to Moldova’s territorial integrity and to a peaceful resolution to the conflict, based on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova within its internationally recognised borders; encourages Moldova to continue its reintegration efforts and calls on the Russian Federation to fulfil its international obligations by ensuring the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all of its military personnel, equipment and ammunition from the Transnistrian region, the presence of which constitutes a strong violation of international law and a direct security threat to Moldova and the broader European neighbourhood;
54. Supports the gradual approach of the Moldovan authorities towards the country’s reintegration, with a strong emphasis on tangible socio-economic benefits for citizens on both banks of the river; calls for the EU to actively contribute to the peaceful reintegration process, including through meaningful contributions to the Convergence Fund, which will support the gradual alignment of the Transnistrian region with Moldova’s legal, economic and social framework, and deliver concrete improvements in public services and local infrastructure for citizens;
55. Notes with concern Russia’s ongoing attempts to exploit and foment tensions between the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia and the Moldovan authorities; supports and encourages the Moldovan Government’s continued efforts to address these challenges through constructive dialogue and inclusive reforms; urges the regional authorities to engage in this dialogue in good faith and to ensure the proper organisation of free, fair, transparent and legal elections within the region, in full compliance with Moldovan law; reiterates that a stable, cooperative relationship between the capital and the regions is essential for Moldova’s internal stability and its continued progress on the EU accession path;
56. Welcomes Moldova’s decision to withdraw from the Russian-dominated Commonwealth of Independent States as a sovereign and strategic choice reflecting the country’s chosen European path; calls for the legacy of the Soviet period to be addressed, for example through the declassification of the archives of former Soviet security services, and encourages discussion on the presence of Soviet propaganda symbols in public spaces;
57. Strongly condemns the repeated, unauthorised incursions by Russian drones into Moldovan airspace and territory since 2022, which constitute a serious violation of Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; stresses that such actions pose a direct risk to civilian safety, security and regional stability, and reiterates the need for strict adherence to international law; underlines, in this context, the critical importance of investment in air surveillance and protection infrastructure;
58. Welcomes the continued support for the Armed Forces of Moldova under the European Peace Facility; reiterates its call on the Member States to further increase European Peace Facility funding for Moldova to enhance the country’s defence capabilities in view of the current security threats; calls on the Commission, in coordination with the EEAS, to ensure more structured, predictable and enhanced support for strengthening the security and defence capacities of the Republic of Moldova and its alignment with EU security standards, as part of the accession process; calls for continued support for Moldova’s defence sector modernisation, including its air defence capabilities; emphasises that Moldova is not merely a security consumer but also a security provider to the EU, given its strategic location and valuable real-time experience; welcomes the recognition of Moldova as a country for which additional quantities of defence products may be commonly procured under the European defence industry programme, with the EU financial contribution rate raised from 15 % to 25 %, and calls for this preferential treatment to be embedded in the post-2027 architecture;
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59. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and to the President, Government and Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.