Füle ontmoet burgers uit landen behorend tot Oostelijk Partnerschap (en)

European Commission

MEMO

Brussels, 2 October 2013

Š.Füle in Moldova: Bilateral meetings and discussions with EaP Civil Society

Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle will take part in the fifth meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum in Chisinau on 3-4 October. It will be the first time this Forum takes place in a partner country. The Commissioner will address the meeting of over 250 representatives of civil society organizations (CSOs) from countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) and the European Union.

Representatives of civil society from six partner countries and their counterparts from the EU will discuss further contribution of the Forum to the implementation of the Eastern Partnership goals, steps to be undertaken to safeguard freedom of expression and assembly as well as the role of civil society in ensuring free and fair elections in Eastern Partnership countries.

''The EU is committed to advancing the Eastern Partnership and ensuring that the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius will be a summit of delivery. The process of political association and economic integration of partner countries with the EU requires strong involvement and support of civil society. In this respect the EU encourages partner countries' governments to continue and further increase their cooperation and structured dialogue with civil society.'' Commissioner Füle said before leaving for Moldova.

During his visit he will also discuss with Moldovan partners issues on the bilateral agenda between the EU and the Republic of Moldova, the state of reforms in Moldova, the benefits of EU-Moldova cooperation and the planned initialling at the Vilnius summit of November 2013 of the Association Agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova. He will meet with President Nicolae Timofti, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Natalia Gherman, and representatives of political parties.