By Ilgin Karlidag
BRUSSELS
The European Parliament has backed an agreement between the EU and Moldova, paving the way for strengthened political association and economic integration between the two parties.
Members of the European Parliament backed the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, which includes a Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) to enable mutual free-market access, by 535 votes to 94, with 44 abstentions on Thursday.
MEPs stressed Transnistria, an integral part of Moldova, must also be covered by the agreement.
The European Parliament said in a press release: ''MEPs underline that the role played by Russia in the crisis in Ukraine has changed the geopolitical order and affected EU-Moldova relations as well."
''They call on Russia to fully respect Moldova’s territorial integrity and European choice," the press release added.
- Meat ban
Russia enforced a ban on all meat imports from Moldova - which declared itself an independent state in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union - on October 27 after Russia’s Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Rosselkhoznadzor, said the product did not meet safety standards.
The press release went on: ''[MEPs] deplore Russia’s continued use of trade import bans on products from Moldova as a means to destabilize the region and back initiatives to counter the Russian embargo on Moldovan products."
''I hope this is not the last essential agreement between EU and Moldova because Moldova wants to become a full-fledged member of EU,'' said rapporteur Petras Auštrevičius at the European Parliament on Thursday.
National parliaments of the EU member states must ratify the agreement before it enters into force.
www.aa.com.tr/en
