Moldova takes part in first EU Enlargement Forum – Young European Ambassador Teodora Drucec shares her insights

On 18 November, the first EU Enlargement Forum, organised by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, took place in Brussels. The forum brought together European leaders, representatives of EU Member States, and candidate countries. The event discussed the prospects for EU enlargement in the current geopolitical context.

A recent Eurobarometer survey showed that over 56% of Europeans support the accession of new countries to the EU. Sweden’s citizens are the most supportive of enlargement. Teodora Drucec, Young European Ambassador (YEA) from Moldova, took part in the Forum to learn first-hand how EU citizens feel about enlargement, what the advantages of this process are, and what Moldova needs to do on its path to EU accession.

In Brussels, Teodora also met young Moldovans who are currently studying in the European Union. “I returned home with the pleasant thought that we have wonderful young people who are, in essence, Moldova’s ‘ambassadors’ to the EU and the EU’s ‘ambassadors’ to Moldova,” says Teodora.

Teodora really liked an idea that she heard at one of the panel discussions: “Why should we emphasise our differences when, in fact, we are more alike than we think?”

The EU motto ‘Unity in Diversity’ highlights the cultural richness of EU countries. This does not mean that EU citizens are too different from each other. The idea behind this motto is that Europeans find what unites them and build peaceful coexistence on that basis.

After Teodora returned from Brussels, we asked her to share her impressions of the Forum.

Marta Kos said Moldova had made significant progress and completed the screening process in record time. The screening began in July 2024 and ended in September 2025.

The European Commissioner said there are no shortcuts to European integration. To join the European Union, Moldova has to align its legislation with the EU acquis.

Marta Kos also assured that Moldova would join the European energy system by 2027. This will help the country avoid energy blackmail by Russia.

In addition, Teodora learned that EU enlargement will benefit not only the candidates, but also the Members States.

Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu was also present at the Forum. He said that Moldova had confirmed its European choice in the presidential and parliamentary elections, as well as in the referendum. According to Munteanu, Moldova’s success in the process of European integration is the best response to Russia’s interference.

Teodora liked the fact that civil society representatives from the Eastern Partner countries took part in the Forum alongside the politicians. Once back home, they will inform their communities about the benefits of EU enlargement. Teodora herself returned to Moldova with the understanding that the country “still has work to do” on its path to EU accession and that joint efforts are needed.

The European Enlargement Forum is the first of its kind. Its aim is to develop dialogue between EU countries and candidate countries. In addition, the forum emphasised the importance of EU enlargement for maintaining security in the region.

Moldova applied for EU membership in March 2022 and was granted candidate status in June 2022. Accession negotiations officially opened in June 2024, and the next month Moldova began the screening process. It was completed in September 2025.

Watch Teodora’s video to learn more about her experience at the Forum.

Author: Vlada Antocica

Article published in Romanian and Russian on Diez.md