Lithuania to use EU presidency to accelerate Moldova accession, FM says

VILNIUS - Lithuania will use its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union to accelerate Moldova's accession process and help it achieve its goal of joining the bloc by 2030, Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.

Budrys said Lithuania wants the enlargement process to be merit-based rather than driven by political decisions.

"We have no right to politicise a process that must be based on merit. In the past, we have seen some member states turn this process into a political hostage. If we acted according to the rules and regulations, and simply followed the European Commission's reports which impartially assess progress, we would move faster than we are now," he said.

During a visit to Vilnius, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi expressed confidence that Lithuania's leadership during its presidency would help advance the country's membership bid. He also said Moldova would fulfil its commitments.

Moldova has already opened the second chapter of its membership negotiations. The country submitted its application to join the bloc at the same time as Ukraine.

According to Budrys, four more negotiation clusters are expected to be opened before Lithuania takes over the European Union Council presidency in January next year.

Budrys noted that European Union integration is not the only area of cooperation, with both nations focusing on economic, security and defence ties. He added that Lithuania intends to share its experience with Moldova and other European Union states, as hybrid threats and attempts to influence democratic processes pose challenges for all of Europe.

Popsoi emphasised that Moldova has been facing Russian hybrid activities for several years, although attempts to influence the country's internal processes have persisted since it regained independence.