The European Union will provide assistance to the Eastern Partnership countries, including Moldova, for the preservation and sustainable use of the natural capital, improvement of the quality of the environment and stimulation of green economy. In this regard, the EU4Environment project to the value of almost €20 million was launched in all the EaP member states on April 12, IPN reports.
In the project launch, secretary of state at the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Valentina Ţapeş said the project will last until 2022 and its objective is to promote the environmental protection priorities specified in the National Development Strategy “Moldova 2030”. Within the project, there will be assessed the activities promoted by Moldova to develop green economy. The capacities of the environmental institutions will be strengthened. By the end of this April, the backers will be informed about the priorities. The priorities of each of the EaP country will be discussed in Vienna on May 27-28 and the size of financing intended for Moldova will become known in June.
“The good quality of the environment and the availability of the natural resources needed for the existence of life are a precondition for the population’s health,” stated the Government’s secretary general Lilia Palii. The official also said the National Development Strategy “Moldova 2030” promotes a healthy environment in harmony with the economic and human activity.
According to Iulia Costin, secretary general of state at the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, the concept of green economy has been intensely debated at different levels during the past few years and is considered essential for the future of each country. “For the Republic of Moldova, sustainable development and the promotion of green economy are priorities reflected in different strategic documents. In the Republic of Moldova, green economy is promoted as an economy that envisions the improvement of the population’s wellbeing and social equity, diminution of environmental risks and ecological constraints,” stated Iulia Costin.
The regional project EU4Environment will be implemented in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.