Ilie Bolojan visits Chisinau; interim PM to attend Maia Sandu's party congress

Ilie Bolojan, Romania's interim Prime Minister and leader of the National Liberal Party (PNL), is set to participate in the Congress of the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. This visit is particularly noteworthy as Bolojan is the first Romanian leader to travel to Chisinau following the European Union's announcement regarding the opening of the first negotiation cluster for Moldova's EU accession.

The EU ambassadors, gathered in COREPER, approved the opening of Cluster 1, titled "Fundamental Values," for accession negotiations with both the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. The next steps involve organizing Intergovernmental Conferences between the EU and each country, scheduled for Monday, June 15, 2026, in Luxembourg. This development underscores the significant progress Moldova is making in its journey toward EU membership.

According to a PNL statement, Bolojan's participation in the PAS Congress sends a clear message of Romania's unwavering support for Moldova's European aspirations and its commitment to deepening the relationship between the two nations. This political engagement highlights the strong ties and shared objectives between Romania and Moldova.

Bolojan's previous visit to Chisinau was in late May, where he attended an event focused on local public administration reform. However, he had to cut short his official program then due to a drone incident in Galați. The recent EU decision, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday, June 12, confirms the agreement among the 27 member states to open the first accession negotiation group for Ukraine and Moldova, marking a crucial step in the bloc's expansion process.