Accession to the European Union is the foreign policy priority, also reconfirmed by the citizens through their vote in the constitutional referendum. This is what President Maia Sandu said during a videoconference with Moldovan ambassadors. The head of state also emphasized the importance of promoting the interests of citizens and supporting the country's economic development, IPN reports.
President Maia Sandu set the priority foreign policy directions for the coming year. According to her, progress in accession negotiations is essential for Moldova's future.
"On this road, it is important to deliver immediate results for the people and the business environment, such as the permanent abolition of quotas for agricultural exports to the European Union, accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and the reduction of roaming tariffs", the head of state noted.
The priorities also include speeding up the disbursement of European funds from the 1.8 billion euro investment plan offered by the European Union. This Growth Plan for Moldova will contribute to the development of the economy through investments in infrastructure and support for small and medium-sized enterprises and job creation. The Head of State asked the ambassadors to get actively involved in promoting economic diplomacy, to help attract strategic investments in production sectors, modern agriculture, green energy and information technologies and to negotiate new free trade agreements that would expand access of Moldovan products to foreign markets.
In relations with the diaspora, the President called for the acceleration of negotiations for the signing of bilateral agreements on the recognition of driving licenses with Romania, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, and the finalization of social protection agreements with France, Canada, Israel and Switzerland.
At the same time, the expansion of the consular network, with the opening of an embassy in Astana and two consulates in the United States in Chicago and Sacramento, will make consular services more accessible to Moldovans abroad.
In the area of security and resilience, priorities include strengthening cooperation with European and international partners to increase Moldova's capacity to defend and manage hybrid challenges, including in the energy field. At the same time, Moldova's participation in peacekeeping missions and support to other states in emergency situations reflects Moldova's commitment to regional stability and security.
