Nicolae Timofti congratulated by European Parliament President, other officials

President-elect Nicolae Timofti received congratulations from the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and from other foreign officials, Info-Prim Neo reports. In his message, Martin Schulz said he was “happy that the Moldovan people finally have a president after 2.5-year long institutional stalemate”. Martin Schulz said the European Parliament had been heavily involved in helping Moldova to overcome this challenge.“I welcome the newly elected president's declared support for the pro-European course of his country,” he said, adding he was looking forward to meeting him in the European Parliament. “Now that Moldova has overcome its institutional problems, its leadership should focus on the ambitious European reform agenda.” Schulz added that the two main challenges were the upcoming launch of talks on the deep and comprehensive free trade area and the next round of negotiations on the Transnistrian settlement in Vienna. “I regret that the Communist party boycotted the presidential election. Moldova now needs more than ever national unity and cooperation of all political forces in implementing all reforms related to the European integration agenda,” stated the EP President. Nicolae Timofti was also congratulated by telephone by Romania's President Traian Basescu, Ukraine's President Victor Yanukovich and Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban, who wished him success in achieving his goals. During the conversations with Traian Basescu and Victor Yanukovich, the collocutors sreessed the need to strengthen friendship and good neighborly relations and further develop them. Both Basescu and Yanukovich invited Timofti to undertake official visits to Bucharest and Kyiv in the near future. Victor Orban also said he would be glad to meet with Nicolae Timofti soon. Nicolae Timofti expressed his gratitude for the congratulations and stated that in his new capacity he would make all the efforts to ensure Moldova's development in a state of stability. Nicolae Timofti today was elected Moldova's President by 62 out of 101 votes in Parliament.