Filip Teodorescu: Strengthening relations with Moldova is a constant principle of Romania’s foreign policy

The Republic of Moldova is not only a neighbouring state, but a country with which Romania has a very important joint patrimony, while the development of the relations with Moldova is a perennial principle of Romania’s foreign policy, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania in Chisinau told a news conference dedicated to Romania’s National Day celebrated on December 1. Romania will support Moldova on the path to European integration and will share its experience. Romania considers that Moldova should be offered the same chances as the ones enjoyed by the Western Balkans, the ambassador said, praising the Moldovan authorities for the progress made. At the same time, Filip Teodorescu stressed the importance of implementing the EU-Moldova Action Plan, specifying that it is not enough to adopt the laws only. Speaking about the Transnistrian conflict, Filip Teodorescu said that in the international organizations, including within the EU, his country continued to highlight the necessity of solving the dispute at talks in the 5+2 format by observing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova. The withdrawal of the Russian troops from the territory of Moldova is a precondition for solving the conflict and Russia should observe the commitments it took in Istanbul in1999. The Romanian Ambassador referred also to the visa problem. He said that Romania made every effort for the Moldovan citizens not to be affected by the visa system introduced after Romania joined the EU. According to Teodorescu, despite the steps taken, this year saw many visa-related problems, but a large part of these have been created by intermediaries or other financially motivated persons that aimed to block the online visa appointment system. The consular section will move soon to a new office, where about 650-700 visa applications would be processed each day, Teodorescu said. He also spoke about the opportunity of opening consular sections in other settlements. “We do not want the visa regime to become a barrier to the Moldovan citizens travelling to Romania,” Filip Teodorescu said. As regards the possibility of issuing visas on the border, Teodorescu said that the EU legislation does not allow this, but the authorities in Bucharest are carrying out talks over this topic. Teodorescu stressed that the Moldovan-Romanian commercial relations have improved. Trade between the two countries over January-September 2007 was about 600 mln USD, as against 564 mln USD in the same period last year. He voiced hope that the trade will reach 800 mln USD by this yearend.