Former President Dodon Says Moldova Will Take a Long Time to Join the European Union

June 15, Kathmandu. Former President Igor Dodon has stated that Moldova will not be able to join the European Union in the upcoming years and that everyone must accept this reality. In an exclusive interview with the Russian news agency TASS, Dodon, leader of Moldova’s main opposition party, the Party of Socialists, made this claim. Although Brussels has assured that the first phase of talks will begin within days, European officials have acknowledged that Moldova’s EU membership process will be challenging and time-consuming, according to Dodon.
He referenced a recent visit by a Moldovan delegation to Brussels to emphasize that the process will not be straightforward. Dodon accused current President Maia Sandu of making integration with Romania part of a political agenda to strategically pressure the European Union. However, he asserted that the EU itself opposes such potential political moves due to the “certain risks” involved.
Moldova, formerly part of the Soviet Union, was officially recognized as a candidate country for EU membership in 2022. Formal negotiations on membership began during the summer of 2024. Previously, Moldova’s Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi had stated that the country is willing to join the EU as a “partial member” with limited rights, even before the presidential elections in 2028.
Meanwhile, both Moldova and Ukraine are about to enter the first phase of talks for EU membership, but no definitive timeline has been set for their accession. For example, Turkey has been in negotiations with the EU since 2005, yet after 21 years, it has still not achieved membership.