Nobody in Russia should be bothered by Moldova’s orientation to EU, Russian official

The Special Representative of the President of Russia for relations with CIS countries Konstantin Kosachev said that nobody in Russia should be bothered by Moldova’s European integration course. The statement was made in a meeting with Head of Parliament Marian Lupu, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to a communiqué from Parliament, the two officials discussed aspects of the bilateral Moldovan-Russian relations, including the interparliamentary ones, and the priorities in the bilateral cooperation and within the CIS. Konstantin Kosachev said that Moldova’s orientation to the EU should not affect the cooperation within the Commonwealth of Independent States. Speaking about the Transnistrian conflict, he stressed that the resolution of the dispute is in the interests of Moldova and Russia. Marian Lupu specified that the procedure for preparing the ratification in Parliament of the agreement on free trade within the CIS, which was signed in Saint Petersburg last yearend, was initiated. According to him, this document will stimulate the economic entities working in the region. The Speaker also said that if a Free Trade Agreement is signed with the EU, Moldova will have great chances of attracting investments from outside, including Russia and other CIS member states, and of becoming a real bridge between the East and the Vest. “We need to build a functional, European-type model of the socially-oriented market economy and implement sweeping reforms in all the areas,” said Marian Lupu. Konstantin Kosachev came to Chisinau to take part in the inauguration of the new head office of the Center of Russian Science and Culture.