OREANDA-NEWS. September 09, 2008. "Moldova's wish of European integration is a legal one and the European bodies' attention to this is growing day by day", reported the Official website http://gov.md/.

Statements to this effect were made today by the Council of Europe's co-rapporteur for Moldova, Josette Durrieu, within her meeting with Moldovan Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii.

Durrieu said that Moldova is well-known in Europe, but she added that the country has to change its preconceived ideas about migration and human trafficking.

The European Council's official appreciated the firm economic and political situation in Moldova, and the fulfilment of most commitments related to the revision of the legal framework. She also noted that the unfolding of the electoral campaign for the 2009 parliamentary elections is going to be a political maturity test for Moldova.

Ensuring political stability to meet Moldova's European integration goals meets the interests of the government as well, and a first proof to this should be a democratic and fair electoral campaign, the Moldovan premier said.

Zinaida Greceanii told Durrieu that the current government programme is based on the National Development Plan and takes into account the European Council's recommendations concerning the EU-Moldova Action Plan, and namely the independence of the judiciary system, freedom of expression in journalism, territorial integrity and economic competitiveness.

"We want to ensure the continuity of the previously started reforms, as well as to lay the foundation for more ambitious future reforms in many sectors," Greceanii said.

Zinaida Greceanii also reiterated Chisinau's wish to peacefully solve the Transnistrian problem, through negotiations in the 5+2 format, which will consolidate Moldova's territorial integrity, and, at the same time, will offer Transnistria a wide autonomy. "Transnistrian economic agents benefit from the autonomous trade preferences system with the EU due to their registration in Chisinau and without having anything to do with the state budget.

Thus, 70 per cent of the Transnistrian export is meant for the EU. At the same time, the Moldovan government is extending different investment and social projects, which are also  implemented in Transnistria,  and we hope that this would get closer the two banks of the Dniestre river," the Moldovan premier said.

Zinaida Greceanii thanked Josette Durrieu for the European Council's support for the achievement of the Moldovan government's objectives and for her personal affection for Moldova.