EU pledges €1.8bn for Moldova ahead of membership referendum

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Brussels has pledged €1.8bn in economic support for Moldova ahead of a referendum on EU membership called by the pro-western government in Chișinău, despite Russian pressure to derail its efforts.

The former Soviet republic’s economy has been battered by knock-on effects of Russia’s war against neighbouring Ukraine, including reduced trade flows and high energy costs. That has undermined the popularity of its pro-EU government as it pushes ahead with reforms necessary to achieve EU membership.

The European Commission’s ‘Growth Plan’, announced on Thursday, will peg financial aid to those reform efforts and help fund initiatives such as road and rail infrastructure and power grid improvements.

The aid programme, which Brussels said was the country’s largest since its 1991 independence, comes 10 days before a dual vote that could determine the country’s future. Moldovan President, Maia Sandu, is seeking to win re-election alongside a referendum to enshrine EU membership in the country’s constitution.

Russia has repeatedly threatened Moldova and compared Sandu’s government with Ukraine’s leadership, suggesting further aggression could be on the cards if Chișinău does not relent on its westward trajectory.

Moldovan officials have accused Moscow of using influence campaigns and providing financial support to opposition parties aiming to replace Sandu with a pro-Russian candidate and stop the referendum from succeeding. Moscow has denied seeking to influence the elections.

“Europe stands firmly by Moldova’s side, today and every step of the way on the path to our union. We can start bringing the Moldovan economy closer to ours already now,” European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said during a visit to Chișinău on Thursday to unveil the support package.

The support package has “the potential of doubling the size of the country’s economy in a decade,” von der Leyen added. The commission president also urged Moldovans to use their vote on October 20: “It is your sovereign choice what to do with your country and no one can interfere.”

Sandu said the EU plan was “a symbol of confidence in Moldova’s potential for transformation and development”, adding that it came at “a crucial moment” for the country.

An opinion poll by iData carried out last month show more than 66 per cent of respondents indicated they would back EU accession, up from 57 per cent in April. Sandu is also polling ahead of several pro-Russian candidates and is expected to win a second term.

Moldova applied for EU membership soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and began formal accession negotiations in June, alongside Ukraine. That marked the start of a process that could run into the next decade. Membership will also require constant unanimous political support of all of the EU’s existing 27 members throughout the process.