Moldova Weighs Romanian Reunification as EU Plan B

Moldova could consider reunification with Romania if its path to the European Union is obstructed or blocked, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Eugen Osmochescu told Euractiv, describing the scenario as a “Plan B”.

Osmochescu said Chisinau’s main goal remained EU accession and the signing of an accession treaty by the end of 2028. However, if the process stalls after that date, Moldova’s political leadership could start seriously discussing unification with Romania, with which the country has close historical, linguistic and cultural ties.

The deputy prime minister also backed the idea of gradual integration for candidate countries into EU structures. He welcomed a proposal by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to create an associate member status that would allow candidate countries to take part in meetings of European leaders and ministers without voting rights.

Support for reunification with Romania stands at 40% in Moldova and about 70% in Romania. Some 850,000 of Moldova’s 2.4 million people already have Romanian citizenship.

The European Commission expects the first fundamentals cluster of accession negotiations with Moldova and Ukraine to be opened as early as 16 June. “If it happens in June, that we open the negotiations, then that would be a clear signal”, Osmochescu said. “That is what we are aiming for.”

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