The 25th International Book Fair is special as it is held simultaneously with the first edition of “Bookfest” Festival. This year, the International Book Festival “Bookfest Chisinau” will present about 8,000 book titles edited in Moldova and Romania. “Bookfest Chisinau” takes place at the Exhibitions Center “Moldexpo” between August 31 and September 4, IPN reports.

In the opening of the event, Minister of Culture Monica Babuc said that this is one of the most important events held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the declaration of Moldova’s independence and which thus created a kind of ‘book bridge’ over the Prut. She noted that “Bookfest” is an extraordinary book fair of Romania.

“The thousands of good book titles edited by the great Romanian publishing houses, which we look for in bookshops when we travel to Romania, are present here, provided by the first source,” stated Monica Babuc, adding that a circuit of values should be established so that this does not stop at words.

Sergiu Nistor, adviser to the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis, said that this event is opened the day the Republic of Moldova and Romania celebrate their common treasure – the Romanian language. “Language and its clothes – the book – at this fair show that this is one of the most powerful links between the two sides of the Prut. This event should continue with others editions,” he stated.

About 50,000 books are presented at the International Book Fair. Many of them are sold at half of the bookstore price. The event includes meetings with writers and workshops for Moldovan and Romanian editors.