European integration goal of Moldova will not shade relations with Russia – Speaker

The European integration goal of Moldova will not shade the relations with strategic partners, including Russia, Speaker of Parliament Marian Lupu told the meeting of Interparliamentary Committee for Cooperation between the Federal Assembly of Russia and Parliament of Moldova. According to the speaker, the European integration vector of Moldova will remain unchanged, because it is more an internal modernisation issue of the state than a foreign policy issue. It does not mean casting shadow on the strategic partners. In light of the fact that the Russian Federation is one of the most important partners, bilateral relations have a strategic character, Lupu stated. Speaking about the Transnistrian conflict, Lupu expressed hope that support provided by the legislative bodies of the two countries will contribute to the territorial integrity of Moldova. The majority of unsettled issues can be solved within the Interparliamentary talks, he said. Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Economic Policy, Budget and Finance Nicolae Bondarciuc said that “the close relations between the two people during a long period, especially when they were united in a single state, is a fact which can neither be denied, nor forgotten”, when making decision related to the relations between the two states. “The Moldovan people is always happy for the achievements of Russia and of the Russian people and suffers when politicians from other countries make statements against Russia and its leaders”, the communist MP stated. Head of the Russian delegation Alexandr Moscaletz, co-chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee talked about the democratic and economic achievements of the Russian Federation, but he did not say a word about the relations between Russia and Moldova. At the same time, Chairman of the Committee of the Russian Council for relations with CIS Vadim Gustov expressed hope that due to the support of “Rospotrebnadzor” Service, the Moldovan wine issue will be settled in April. The same optimism was express in the case of Transnistrian dispute, saying that it does not have such deep roots as the dispute in Karabakh and Abkhazia. The meeting is expected to end with parties signing the Joint Statement of the Interparliamentary Cooperation Committee.