Italy will open embassy in Moldova in first half 2008

Italy will inaugurate an embassy in Moldova by this summer, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema said in Chisinau on January 9. The Italian official, who is on a working visit to Moldova, said that his country increased the 2008 quota of immigrants that will be able to work legally in Italy. He stressed the positive cooperation in combating illegal migration and human trafficking between Moldova and Italy. Italy supports Moldova’s aspirations for European integration and will further assist it in accomplishing the objectives stipulated in the EU-Moldova Individual Action Plan, the Italian Foreign Minister said. Italy is also in favour of finding a solution to the Transnistrian conflict, he added. Massimo D’Alema said that over 300 Italian companies work in Moldova at present and his country is becoming one of Moldova’s most important foreign investors. He underlined that the Italian investors could be interested in such areas as the textile industry, banking sector, infrastructure and others. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Andrei Stratan said that his Italian counterpart’s visit to Moldova is very important for the Moldovan-Italian cooperation. He surveyed the areas discussed at the meeting.