EIB will continue to support development projects in Moldova

“The European Union is interested in the stability and continuous development of the regions at its borders and thus initiated the Eastern Partnership, while the European Investment Bank is the institution that will finance development projects in the given regions. I must say that we have excellent cooperation relations with Moldova,” EIB president Philippe Maystadt said, stressing that Moldova is the largest beneficiary of the Bank’s services per GDP within the EaP. Speaking about aspects of the cooperation with Moldova in a news conference held jointly with Prime Minister Vlad Filat, after a meeting of the two officials, the EIB president said the cooperation areas announced by the institution at the initial stage were: transport infrastructure, energy, and water supply. But Moldova managed to extend the cooperation area so that there was signed an agreement to finance the wine industry with €75 million. The first tranche of this sum will be disbursed by the end of this year. Vlad Filar thanked Philippe Maystadt and the EIB for the support provided to Moldova, saying the Bank so far initiated seven investments project to the value of €235 million in Moldova, six of which in the public sector. He also said that a separate subject for discussion was the financing opportunities offered by the recently created Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund, which will soon enable to identity joint projects in such sectors as energy, transport, the environment and telecommunications. There was also examined the possibility of establishing partnerships for creating agricultural markers, which will contribute to the development of agriculture in Moldova and to increased competitiveness of the national agricultural products. The Premier said that these projects are important as there will be created new workplaces. Vlad Filat assured Philippe Maystadt that the Government of Moldova is committed to contributing to the efficient implementation of the launched projects, ensuring full transparency and appropriately applying the rules and good practices within them.