The Republic of Moldova can store natural gas in Romania, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu, who recently returned from Bucharest. The official stated that Moldova so far was able to store amounts of natural gas in Ukraine and now can do this in Romania too. He noted that his visit to Bucharest was very productive and helped to fully restore the Moldovan- Romanian relations after the previous government didn’t interact with the Romanian authorities, IPN reports.
Minister Nicu Popescu said that a roadmap concerning the Moldovan-Romanian cooperation the next few years was signed during the visit to Buccaneers and they agreed with Romanian officials to launch road infrastructure and electricity interconnection projects.
“The relationship with Romania the past two years was practically frozen at political level and as regards the implementation of most of the projects. We lost two years, but now both Chisinau and Bucharest have the necessary political conjuncture and political will to implement these projects for the benefit of the two states as soon as possible. In Bucharest there is national transparty consensus for supporting the Republic of Moldova,“ Nicu Popescu stated in the talk show “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.
According to Nicu Popescu, the gas crisis made the Moldovan authorities devote increased attention to the country’s energy security and Romania will lend a hand by offering gas storage areas.
“The Republic of Moldova needs solutions that would ensure the country’s energy security. A solution is to create gas reserves and to store gas in spring and summer,” he said, noting Romania filled 70% of its gas stores and Moldova can use the remaining areas and can also use other storage areas.
Under the roadmap concerning the Moldovan-Romanian cooperation that was signed in Bucharest by Nicu Popescu and his Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu, there will be build a road bridge over the Prut in Ungheni, the Galați-Giurgiulești road bridge will be reinforced, while the Galați-Giurgiulești rail bridge will be rehabilitated. It was agreed that the Government of Moldova and the Government of Romania will implement a new technical and financial assistance program based on non-reimbursable financial assistance provided by Romania to Moldova.
