From Brussels to the European villages

April is a month full of events from Brussels to the European Village 2024 application results. All of this, framed by a referendum for the EU.

Apr 17, 2024

Visited.

Brussels. Every time I go to Brussels, I know Moldova belongs to the European Union family. I attended the informal Council of EU Transport Ministers. Step by step, we are doing everything we need to be integrated into the European transport market and system.

In 2023, we became the first country outside the EU to join the CEF mechanism, which provides co-funding for large infrastructure projects.
Trans-European transport maps have been extended to Moldova. The most important roads and railways are now part of the European transport network.
Some weeks ago, we signed the extension of the liberalization agreement for road freight transport, which means that until December 2025, Moldovan haulers can move freely without special authorizations in EU countries;

We have much to do, but a lot has been done, and there is no way back. Moldova is on the right path towards the EU.

The European Village 2024

The applications for the European Village 2024 are closed. The response to our latest call for projects has been positive. We have received 748 project submissions, with more than 80% participation from municipalities nationwide. These projects span crucial areas such as water supply, public building renovations, recreational infrastructure, and cultural heritage preservation—each reflecting the needs and objectives of our communities. The numbers show that mayors care about their villages. The numbers also show that the European Village is Moldova's most ambitious and concrete infrastructure project.

In the past two years alone, we have achieved monumental milestones:

We've constructed nearly 800 kilometers of water supply systems, now serving over 130,000 citizens.
About 100 kilometers of sewage systems and 12 new sewage treatment plants have been established, benefiting more than 120,000 residents.
Over 700 kilometers of new street lighting have been installed, brightening the lives of 200,000 people.
We have also renovated over 330 social infrastructure facilities, including kindergartens, schools, sports fields, and cultural centers, positively impacting over 560,000 citizens.

And this is just the beginning. Through this program, launched by our President Maia Sandu in 2022, we are improving the lives of our citizens across both rural and urban areas.

#PentruReferendum

Talking about Europe, we launched an information campaign about the EU referendum. Every weekend, I go to cities and villages and talk to people. Most of them know very well what this referendum means for Moldova; others say there is no need for a referendum as Moldova is already European, and many others need to be informed. And this is what we do.