Italy supports the express inclusion of Moldova’s prospects to join the European Union in the Association Agreement that Moldova is to sign with the EU. The statement was made by former Prime Minister and currently head of the Italian Senate’s commission for foreign affairs and emigration Lamberto Dini during his meeting with Moldovan First Deputy Speaker Vlad Plahotniuc, Info-Prim Neo learned from a press release of the Moldovan Parliament. “I admire your courage in continuing reforms. You’ve managed to gain the liking of many European countries. We encourage you to maintain economic stability to achieve later a rise of the standard of life in Moldova. Italy will support the express inclusion of Moldova’s prospects to join the EU in the Association Agreement that your country will soon sign with the Union”, Lamberto Dini told Vlad Plahotniuc, who traveled for a work visit to Italy. Italy’s interest to support the EU enlargement process was confirmed by the Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. During the meeting with Maria Rosaria Bindi, Vlad Plahotniuc assured her of the Moldovan government’s determination to fulfill the necessary criteria for raising Moldova to European standards. “A first result of the good cooperation between Moldova and Italy could be the nearing of the two countries within the EU. We’ve set a firm goal to join the EU. Our efforts in this regard are to strengthen a solid democratic country, to develop the economy and to raise the life standards for our people”, declared the First Deputy Speaker. Vlad Plahotniuc said that his goal was for Moldova to become in a couple of year a market economy attractive for foreign investors. “One of our advantages is that our country is at the convergence of two great markets: European and Eastern”. The Moldovan official appreciated the large number of Italian companies that chose to expand to Moldova, creating new jobs in the process. Maria Rosaria Bindi expressed her willingness to visit Moldova on the invitation of the First Deputy Speaker.