European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has announced his intention to make a visit to Chisinau in the first half of this year on the invitation of the Moldovan government. The announcement was made at a news conference following his meeting on Friday with Romanian President Traian Basescu in Brussels.

Barroso noted that the situation in Moldova is “an issue of strategic relevance for Europe” and promised further support to our country in its European path.

“As you know, last November, at the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit, the commitment was made to sign the Association Agreement with Moldova as soon as possible. I am very pleased with the significant achievement that has been made to initial this Association Agreement. This is a very important signal we are sending. The Agreement will be a real breakthrough in terms of Moldova's European path. Together with European reforms, it will strengthen the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova”, said Barroso.

Barroso said he discussed with Basescu about the Commission's availability to help with creating more electricity, gas, rail and road connections between Moldova and the EU via Romania, saying that EU funds could be used for this purpose “We have discussed with President Basescu about what can we do to mobilize, for example, international financial institutions. And this is a concrete way of supporting the Republic of Moldova, a very concrete way of encouraging prosperity in this country”, added the president of the European Commission.

Traian Basescu spoke in this context about the back-to-back station in Isaccea, which could be put to work with €70 million to provide Moldova with a 400 kV line, alongside the 100 kV line available from November 2013.