Moldovan official says joining EU is key priority

BUCHAREST, Romania – A top Moldovan official says its parliament plans to amend the constitution to explicitly state that joining the European Union is a key goal for the ex-Soviet republic.

Moldova, located between Ukraine and Romania, has been divided between moving closer to the EU and returning to the Russian orbit.

Parliament speaker Andrian Candu acknowledged that Moldovans lost confidence in pro-European politicians after some of them were accused of involvement in the looting of $1 billion from Moldovan banks in 2014. But he says trust is slowly being restored with a series of anti-corruption measures.

The ruling Democratic Party says changing the constitution will clarify Moldova's future regardless of election results and other developments.

Many Moldovans favor closer relations with Russia. Pro-Russian President Igor Dodon was elected last year.