Moldova, one of Europe's poorest countries wedged between Ukraine and Romania, has been buffeted by Russia's war in Ukraine which President Maia Sandu has repeatedly denounced.
Moldova and its population of 2.5 million, Sandu said, stood at a crossroads, with collective action needed for its future.
Big decisions are taken by people during Great National Assemblies," she said.
... We are Europeans and at the Great National Assembly on 21st May, we will show that this is the path we have chosen."
Moldova, like Ukraine, has formally sought to become a member of the European Union, a process which normally takes several years.