The participants in our third regional dialogue with citizens, held within the “EU in Moldova: Perceptions and Realities” programme, were able to share their assessments on Moldova’s relations with the European Union, while IPIS, IPRE and IEP dispel some myths.

The residents of Ceadir-Lunga noted that the EU projects, implemented in Gagauzia, are felt by the local population. At the same time, the participants in the meeting stressed that donors should tighten the control over the spending of their financial support in the implementation of different projects.

Attending the meeting was also a representative of the Expert-Group, Sergiu Gaibu, who showed by concrete data, how the economic relations between Moldova and the EU work today, and who became Moldova’s main trade partner. Nearly 70% of Moldova’s exports are destined to the European market, while the imports account for 50%.

The participants in the meeting welcomed it, but stressed that such “explanatory seminars “, should have been held in Moldova before the signing of the Association Agreement, in order to prevent the formation of some myths related to it.

The programme “We and the EU: Perceptions and Reality” is implemented by the Institute for Strategic Initiatives of Moldova, the Institute for European Politics in Berlin and the Institute for European Politics and Reforms from July 2019 to June 2020 with the support of the German Federal Foreign Office.