Moldova will do its utmost not to become involved in possible unconstructive discussions and attempts to worsen the relations with Russia. This is how Prime Minister Iurie Leanca answered when asked by the journalists if he expects new challenges to come from Russia, IPN reports. “We will continue to behave in a responsible way and our actions will be based exclusively on the national interest,” stated Iurie Leanca.

The Premier underlined that Moldova’s decision to follow the path to European integration is a firm one. “The Vilnius summit is an important event, but it’s not the end of history. It is only an important event and a landmark in this process,” he added.

Referring to the bilateral relations between Chisinau and Moscow, Iurie Leanca said that Moldova showed that it is a reliable partner that pays its bills on time. “We showed lately that we prefer to maintain and intensify the dialogue with the Russian partners and to deal with real problems that can be solved by dialogue and communication,” he stated.

Iurie Leanca voiced hope that there will be efficient communication between Minister of Agriculture Vasile Bumacov and Russia’s chief sanitary inspector Gennady Onishchenko, who will meet in Moscow on September 20. The Premier is also waiting for a good result from Deputy Prime Minister Valeriu Lazar’s visit to Moscow.

On September 10, Russia imposed a ban on the imports of Moldovan wine and brandy.