While some countries in the region dare to hope that they might join the EU in the near future, BIRN’s selection of Premium stories this week suggests others remain stuck in their usual deadlock.
Milos Damnjanovic
Good news from Brussels came for Moldova on June 22, when an EU-Moldova summit saw the opening of the first cluster of negotiating chapters in Moldova’s EU accession negotiations. Spanning “fundamentals” – such as the rule of law, functioning of democratic institutions and judiciary – the cluster is the first step towards opening other accession negotiating chapters.
Moldova is optimistic about making quick strides in its EU accession process. But while the government talks up the prospects of catching up with Montenegro, which hopes to join by 2028, most experts feel membership in the next decade is a more realistic scenario – should everything go according to Moldova’s plans and wishes. Meanwhile, the clouds are appearing, with a scandal over the employment of President Maia Sandu’s cousin in a lucrative public-sector job.
Read more: ‘Milestone’ Opening for Moldova’s EU Talks – But Harder Work Lies Ahead (June 26, 2026)
Read more: Relatives’ Job Scandals Cause Trouble for Moldova’s Anti-Graft President (June 30, 2026)
