EU to offer Moldova technical assistance of EUR 1 mln for each Twinning project

Moldova will benefit from technical assistance of EUR 1 mln for each Twinning project implemented in the sectors of the national economy. Twinning is an institutional strengthening project, which was successfully applied in the countries that started reforming, strengthened their public institutions in order to adjust them to the European acquis. On October 24 and 25, at a practical seminar organized in Chisinau, Moldova and the EU launched the Twinning mechanism and the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX) for Moldova. The Twinning projects aim at strengthening public administrations, human resources and the management skills necessary to implement the EU acquis. TAIEX offers the public field experts work and collaboration opportunities with partners from EU in order to familiarize themselves with the legal provisions of EU and best practices in their implementation. Moldova is the second TACIS country were Twinning operations will be launched. The head of the European Commission Delegation to Moldova, Cezare Montis declared on Tuesday, October 24 at a press conference that the implementation of these programs is an important step towards joining EU, because adjusting the legislation is the most difficult step, being a long-term process in all the countries which adhered to EU. According to the Official, Twinning is a Neighborhood Policy program of EU with the countries which border with the Mediterranean zone and the east of Europe, including Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The Minister of Economy and Commerce, Igor Dodon declared that the program will encourage a new stage in bilateral relations with the EU. At this stage, already two initiatives are launched in Moldova: improving the management of Parliament’s personnel and supporting penitentiaries in Moldova. The Government considers that at the present stage such projects will be quickly implemented in order to adjust the quality standards, which will allow turning to good account the regimes offered by EU (GSP+ and the asymmetric trade). Each Twinning project will be implemented during 12-24 months.