The Prime Minister of Moldova Pavel Filip and his Romanian counterpart Viorica Dăncilă discussed aspects of the Moldovan-Romanian relations and the ongoing joint projects in a meeting in Iasi, held on the sidelines of the events occasioned by Pope Francis’ visit to Romania. The two officials expressed their wish to keep and intensify bilateral cooperation for the people’s benefit, IPN reports.
Pavel Filip and Viorica Dăncilă considered possibilities of continuing the program to rehabilitate the schools and kindergartens, developing road infrastructure, ensuring the energy interconnection and building the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline and the Ungheni-Chisinau European gauge railway track. The officials also conferred on the conditions for providing roaming services.
Pavel Filip thanked Romania for the constant assistance provided to Moldova in implementing the reform agenda, including for the over €200,000 worth of grants offered recently. This money will be used to build a gymnasium in Crihana commune, to implement the emergency service 112 and to outfit the Comrat Hospital with modern equipment. In this connection, the Moldovan Premier underlined the necessity of stimulating the implementation of the project to clean the Byk riverbed for which the Government of Romania provided €10 million.
The two Premiers stressed the importance of continuing the dynamic political dialogue and pragmatic cooperation for Moldova to advance on the path of reforms undertaken through the Association Agreement with the European Union, for the people’s benefit.
While in Iasi, Pavel Filip took part in the events occasioned by the apostolic trip of his Holiness Francis. He shook hands with Pope Francis and said he was honored to be among the pilgrims who came to welcome His Holiness.
“The visit by His Holiness Francis made under the title “Let’s Go Together!” is historical and was long-awaited by tens of thousands of people, while His Holiness’ message that promotes unity, understanding and love between the people is of special importance in the contemporary world,” stated Pavel Filip, being quoted in a press release of the Government’s press service. The Premier expressed his gratitude for the humanitarian and social involvement of the Roman Catholic Church in the Republic of Moldova, including through the charity mission “Caritas-Moldova” and the Foundation “Regina Pacis”.
The press release also says that the high-level dialogue between the Moldovan authorities and the Holy See have intensified during the past few years. In September 2018, His Eminence Pietro Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness Pope Francis, paid a visit to Chisinau. The apostolic trip of Pope Francis to Romania was made 20 years after the visit paid by His Holiness John Paul II in 1999.
