Nicosia, Cyprus. European Affairs Deputy Minister Marilena Raouna on Monday described the formal opening of European Union accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova as a significant milestone for both countries and for the bloc’s enlargement agenda.
She said Cyprus, as the current holder of the EU Council presidency, had worked intensively since January to help bring about the launch of the negotiations.
Opening of negotiations
Raouna said intergovernmental conferences with Ukraine and Moldova were taking place to formally open negotiations for both countries to join the European Union.
She said Cyprus had pursued the process in a results-driven manner, with perseverance and diligence, and had coordinated the consultations needed to reach the formal opening of cluster one.
According to Raouna, the opening of the first cluster moves Ukraine and Moldova from political aspiration to concrete commitment and implementation of the process aimed at bringing them closer to the European Union.
Cyprus position on enlargement
Raouna said enlargement remains both a strategic investment and a geopolitical necessity, adding that it contributes to security and stability during a period of global upheaval testing regional peace.
She said Cyprus remains fully committed to advancing the enlargement agenda and to delivering tangible progress for all candidate countries, in line with the merit-based principle at the core of the accession process.
Raouna also said Cyprus understands accession as a security guarantee and as an expansion of the European space of security, stability and prosperity.
Montenegro conference
Raouna said that, alongside the first intergovernmental conferences with Moldova and Ukraine, another intergovernmental conference was to be held with Montenegro.
She described Montenegro as the frontrunner in the enlargement process and said it was hoped that further chapters would be closed with the country, which has completed 14 of its 33 negotiating chapters so far.
Wider context
Croatia was the last country to join the European Union in 2013, nearly 13 years ago. Since then, the United Kingdom has left the bloc.
