Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday that Greece supports Moldova’s bid to join the European Union, calling its progress toward EU standards “indisputable” despite external pressure.

Speaking after meeting Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Athens, Mitsotakis praised Moldova’s recent parliamentary elections as a sign of “stability and democratic maturity” and said the Moldovan people had shown they were “neither intimidated nor manipulated.”

Moldova’s pro-Western governing party won decisively, in a vote marred by allegations of Russian interference and widely seen as a clear choice between remaining anchored to Europe or shifting toward Moscow.

“At the European Council, I will reiterate that the accession of the Western Balkan states, as well as Moldova and Ukraine, constitutes a strategic priority for us,” he said, adding that EU enlargement should be based on the performance of each candidate country.

“Moldova’s progress is indisputable. It is now up to the European institutions to recognize this progress,” he said.

Mitsotakis said Greece was ready to support Moldova by sharing expertise on adopting EU legislation and highlighted opportunities to deepen economic cooperation, including in the energy sector, as Europe seeks to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.

Source: Ekathimerini.com