Authorities and foreign experts plead for promoting Moldova’s image in EU

The first international conference “European Forum Alpbach – Democratic Way towards European Integration” which was organised on Monday, July 9 in Chisinau addressed aspects related to Moldova’s European aspiration, the programmes of the European Union for the development of youth, importance of education for the young generation. Speaker of Parliament Marian Lupu said that the action aims at boosting the positive trends which are registered in Moldova in the context of regional and European development, including the processes related to the integration of Moldova into these structures and EU. At the same time, Lupu was positive about the fact that the European neighbourhood policy is not a way to replace the European integration one. “It is very important to promote the image of Moldova and to have included in the agenda of EU a broad range of issues”, Lupu said. Erhard Busek, President of European Forum Alpbach said that Moldova faces many problems which should be understood. There are opportunities to offer it more knowledge in this regard, a fact which calls for a campaign, Busek stated. Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Stratan reiterated the fact that Moldova announced its European integration goal as a priority of its foreign and domestic policy. The positive experience proved by the recent enlargement processes in EU which target the Central and South-Eastern Europe is one more reason for the European integration aspirations of Moldova, he said. The European Forum Alpbach aims at creating interest communities in the region by involving youth. Every August since 1945 the “European Forum Alpbach” has taken place in the Tyrolean mountain village of Alpbach. For almost three weeks Alpbach becomes the “Village of thinkers” or the “Other magic mountain”, as named by the Forum’s founding father, Otto Molden. Speakers and participants from all parts of the world, from science, business and politics, renowned experts and students, meet in Alpbach to discuss current questions in an interdisciplinary way. The open character of the event creates an atmosphere of tolerance for other opinions and contributes to finding a consensus beyond national, ideological or disciplinary barriers.