CEI Secretary General and OSCE PA Chairman visit Moldova

Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI) Pietro Ercole Ago pays a working visit to Chisinau on February 9 and 10. At the same time, Joao Soares, the chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, makes an official visit to Moldova on February, from 10 to 12, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the visit of the CEI secretary general comes in the wake of the ending Moldovan Presidency in the CEI. A reunion with the National Focal Points, with representatives of relevant state institutions responsible for the active involvement in developing projects in different sectors during 2008 has been organized on the occasion of the secretary general’s visit. Last year, Moldova obtained co-financing from the CEI for about 30 projects, that is 24 % of the total number of the financed projects. The financing priorities for 2009, as well as the mechanisms of cooperating with the CEI have been discussed at the reunion. Pietro Ercole Ago has also made a presentation of the key sectors for the projects: climate, sustainable energy, developing companies, tourism, media, inter-cultural cooperation and others. The secretary general mentioned the importance of the national Focal Points in developing projects, developing the cooperation relations between the CEI Focal Points Network and he has advocated for their participation and more active involvement in the CEI sector activities. On February 10, Pietro Ercole Ago had a meeting with deputy minister of foreign affairs and European integration Valeriu Ostalep, at which basic conclusions regarding the results and objectives achieved during the Moldovan Presidency were worded. Other details are not specified. Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Joao Soares had a meeting with the Parliament’s president Marian Lupu and with the leaders of the parliamentary factions on February 10. The main subject of the meeting with speaker Marian Lupu was the organization of the parliamentary elections of April 5, 2009. “The electoral campaign is to be monitored by a great number of local and international supervisors,” the parliament’s president emphasized. “We are interested that these elections unfold in democratic conditions, with maximum transparency,” Marian Lupu said. The speaker highly appreciated the OSCE and its Mission to Moldova, which plays an important part in unfolding the democratic reforms in our country. Joao Soares stated his support for the European aspirations of Moldova, reads a communique aired by the press service of the parliament. The interlocutors also approached the problem of the Transnistrian settlement. Marian Lupu and Joao Soares expressed their hope for resuming the 5+2 negotiation format in the near future and for identifying a viable solution to the conflict with observing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova. According to the schedule of visit, the OSCE PA chairman will also meet the chairman of the parliamentary committee for foreign policy and European integration Grigore Petrenco, minister of reintegration Vasile Sova, representatives of the Central Electoral Commission, of non-governmental organizations and Tiraspol authorities.