Paris is one of the most important European capitals both in the bilateral cooperation and in Moldova’s cooperation with the EU. France in 2022 will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, while this year the European Union will decide the volume of assistance for Moldova for the next seven years. Consequently, the restoration of an active dialogue with France is important for our dialogue with the EU, President Maia Sandu stated after she paid a working visit to France during February 3-4 at the invitation of the President of France Emmanuel Macron, IPN reports.
In a news conference, Maia Sandu said France is among the top ten investors in Moldova. “The French enterprises offer our citizens thousands of workplaces. The French language is a launch pad for thousands of young people of Moldova, who choose to study at universities in France and, what is very important, France is home to tens of thousands of our compatriots,” she stated. In Paris, Maia Sandu and Emmanuel Macron discussed the fight against corruption, the justice sector reform, the necessity of strengthening the democratic processes and institutions, ensuring of energy security, attraction of investment, creation of jobs and also the Transnistrian conflict, the regional context, the geopolitical situation, risks and opportunities.
Maia Sandu said France intends to include Moldova into the list of countries that will be eligible for assistance from the French Development Agency. In March, a group of experts of this Agency will come to Chisinau to explore the possible areas of assistance. “I asked for assistance in obtaining vaccines in addition to the donations promised by the Government of Romania and those that will come through the COVAX Platform. I met with potential French investors and with representatives of companies that are already present on our market. We had sincere discussions about the opportunities and major problems faced by the business community in the Republic of Moldova,” stated Maia Sandu. She noted that the draft convention for the elimination of double taxation was signed at expert level during her visit to Paris.
As to Francophonie, she said that they agreed on increased assistance in the process of strengthening the bilingual classes by supplying the lyceums with high-quality teaching aids, including digital ones, through the continuous formation of teachers and through extra-curricular activities.
Among other subjects discussed were the assistance that France can offer in the process of strengthening good governance in Moldova, issues related to the national and regional security and possibilities of direct cooperation between local communities. The French side expressed its readiness to offer the experts assistance in the reform areas and in cooperation for fighting misinformation and supporting the independent press, and also to support the efforts to reform, modernize Moldova and integrate it into the EU.
