- Reports
On 26 February 2026, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation – Europe Office, in cooperation with the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum, organised a discussion drawing on the 2021, 2023 and 2025 editions of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Index to examineMoldova’s EU integration trajectory. The presentation of the Eastern Partnership Index by Alexandra Sabou, Advocacy and EaP Index Manager, set the tone for a forward-looking and candid reflection on Moldova’s EU accession path. The Index was described as a valuable complement to the European Commission’s annual enlargement assessment reports, particularly for integrating civil society perspectives into the evaluation of reform progress.
A key milestone on Moldova’s path was the catalytic effect of 2022. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reshaped the geopolitical environment, accelerating Moldova’s application process, the setting of conditionality and the overall pace of legislative alignment. Despite sustainedRussia’s interference during the referendum and the last elections, participants pointed to Moldova’s ability, backed by political will and international support, to push back destabilising narratives and advance democratic standards. Energy independence was also highlighted as a strategic achievement with far-reaching democratic implications, strengthening sovereignty and institutional autonomy. The country’s reform drive was characterised as proof that movement away from entrenched dependency structures as was the case in the energy sector is possible, even under acute pressure.
At the same time, it was noted that certain dimensions of Moldova’s transformation are difficult for any index to fully capture. Likewise, the complexity of foreign interference, ranging from illicit financing to increasingly adaptive disinformation tactics, poses clear methodological challenges when assessing democratic performance and warrants a rethinking of traditional monitoring tools. For example, long-term influence operations are rarely fully captured by short-term election observation formats focused primarily on election-day procedures, leaving significant dimensions of democratic resilience outside conventional assessment frameworks.
Looking ahead, the discussion underscored both urgency and opportunity. The accession process is entering a technically demanding phase, with benchmarks and clusters requiring sustained administrative capacity. Public administration reform was described as cross-cutting and critical to all other chapters. A substantial legislative workload lies ahead, making coordination, vigilance, and continued civil society engagement essential.
Communication and trust-building emerged as equally important. While indexes and chapter negotiations guide the process, citizens, both in Moldova and across EU member states, respond to tangible outcomes. Delivering visible improvements and explaining their impact will be essential to maintaining support for enlargement. The overall message was one of determined momentum. Moldova’s EU integration path remains complex and exposed to pressure, but recent progress demonstrates resilience and institutional maturation. The current window of opportunity should be used decisively, embedding reforms in ways that make them sustainable and, ultimately, irreversible.
