Remarks by President Maia Sandu to the annual EU budget conference

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Commissioner Hahn,

Minister Lahbib,

Distinguished guests,

It is an honor to be standing before you today in Brussels, the very heart of the European Union. I can assure you that the European heart beats stronger than ever in my country, Moldova, as we pursue accession.

For us, EU membership is about protecting values that we believe are important and that we do not take for granted. Those values are under attack in our region and as we think about the EU budget, it is time to start thinking about making a serious investment in ensuring that peace is restored, that peace prevails over conflict.

We gathered here today under the banner of looking ahead, contemplating the future of the European Union's budget. This is no ordinary discussion.

This is about laying the groundwork for a Europe that not only thrives but also protects. It's about constructing a budget that is bold, flexible and forward-looking. A budget that is not just a ledger of expenses but a blueprint for a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

It might be bold for the President of Moldova, a country not yet in the EU but on the path to membership, to tell the Union how to spend its money during the next budget cycle. And I am not. It is entirely your call. And I trust your decision will be right.

But because my country depends on this decision, let me lay down a few markers that would enable Moldova, and hopefully other candidate countries, to be in a stronger position to both resist the external pressure, while at the same time getting ready for membership.

The context in which we operate today is unprecedented. This is no longer business as usual. The largest war on European soil since the Second World War rages at the gates of the European Union. The security challenges posed by Russia's aggressive stance are not just a passing crisis; they require continuous, strategic resources.

In Moldova, although there is no direct military threat thanks to the courage of Ukraine's soldiers and its society, we are acutely familiar with the nature and the substance of a new kind of war, hybrid war, where the battlefield is everywhere: in our economies, our information space, our energy supplies, and our very homes.

Thus, we must respond with unprecedented vigor and vision. The EU budget that is discussed today is not just a financial document; it is, and must be, a budget for peace.

For Moldova, a budget for peace means a budget to help protect the values that we hold dear. The money that is available is as important as any military deterrence. It can help us to build resilience, prepare for EU accession, and provide a defense against those who wish to impose a very different way of life - repression over democratic freedom.

In the recent past, budgets were about the nuts and bolts of economic and social progress. How we should invest in education, technology, the green transition and many other important needs. We still need to do all of that, but we also need to invest in saving lives, bringing back peace and defending liberty.

At key moments in history, Europe has always stepped up and found the resources to help. Because we Europeans believe that the expansion of evil can be stopped only through enlargement of goodness.

As President of Moldova, I am deeply committed to the ideals of unity, growth and solidarity that define the European project. For me, the EU has always been a beacon of hope and progress, built on the principles of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

Throughout its history, the EU has welcomed new members with open arms, embraced diverse nations, and fostered cooperation. In just one day, on 1stof May, we will celebrate a significant milestone - the 20th anniversary of the European Union's largest expansion in 2004. This historic event welcomed 10 new countries, mainly from Central and Eastern Europe, into the EU.

Just as the EU has done before, it is time to invest decisively in preparing both candidate countries and the Union itself for this next phase of enlargement. The successful integration of new members in 2004 was no accident; it was the result of deliberate and strategic budgeting and resource allocation by the EU.

This brings me to the heart of my message today: EU enlargement is key for EU security. By integrating more countries, the EU extends its zone of stability to a wider region, which in turn strengthens our collective resilience against external pressures and threats.

A well-planned budget that supports enlargement is crucial for making the Union more united and secure in an increasingly complex global landscape. If the European Union is serious about the enlargement agenda, then it must reflect this in its budgetary planning.

Supporting candidate countries like Moldova means prioritizing investments in those areas that strengthen economies but also entire societies - investments in governance, in anti-corruption measures, in judicial reforms, and crucially, in security infrastructure.

We need to understand that the speed is increasingly of the essence. We are in a race against time, confronting forces with a dark vision for our continent - a vision we cannot allow to prevail over our aspirations for a thriving and united Europe. To turn our aspirations into reality, we will need even more EU support from the next budget as we prepare for membership.

Just as Western Europe was offered an economic lifeline after the Second World War by the American Marshall Plan, Moldova and Ukraine need a tightly focused 21stcentury equivalent from the EU.

The Marshall Plan was designed to show to an exhausted continent that capitalism and democracy were a better way forward than anything offered by communism. Today's modern version will also need to offer similar hope to those of us working our way towards EU membership.

More speed and adjustments are required too in how the budget is spent. It is too slow and overly complex. This is a consensus view, echoed not just by Moldova but recently by President Macron as well.

We observe that numerous EU countries struggle to fully utilize Next Generation EU funding due to these intricate procedures. Continuing on this path is no longer viable. For years, the suggested remedy has been to bolster administrative capacities in candidate countries. However, experience has taught us that this alone is insufficient to facilitate effective funding.

A standard delay of a few months in project execution can make the difference between a winter with, or without, electricity in Eastern Europe. Often building a bridge means eighteen months of physical construction work, but only after 8 years of procedure and paperwork.

We can't carry on using the same slow procedures if we want Europe to matter. That is why the next EU budget must be a budget that looks beyond the horizon, that anticipates challenges and innovates solutions. We need a budget that is not merely reactive but proactive - a budget that is a strategic investment in peace.

If we in Moldova, and our neighbor, Ukraine, can defeat those who challenge our desire for peace and democracy, a sunnier world lies ahead.

If we fail, the repercussions will be felt here in Brussels and in every other EU capital. Help us show Moldovans, living in hope for 30 years, that the European Union offers not only a hope for a better future but the better present that they deserve - a decent, free, and dignified life.

Through an EU budget for peace, give us the tools to do the job.

Through an EU budget for peace, help us to speed up our accession preparations.

Through an EU budget for peace, help us to make the whole of our continent more secure!

Ladies and gentlemen, the EU budget isn't about spending, it's about investing in a better, peaceful Europe - the most important foundation for future prosperity.

The decisions you make will resonate beyond the halls of this conference, and even beyond the current EU borders, influencing the geopolitical landscape of our continent and the lives of millions who believe in the promise of a united Europe.

Investing in peace through the EU budget is ultimately an investment in the prosperity of all European nations. A peaceful Europe is a prosperous Europe, where businesses can thrive, economies can grow, and societies can flourish without the shadow of conflict.

Thank you.

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