Slovenia to support Moldova in its European aspirations

Slovenia will support Moldova in all activities related to the European integration, prime-minister of Slovenia Janez Jansa stated within the meeting with PM Vasile Tarlev, who paid a visit to this country. The Slovenian PM accepted the invitation of his counterpart to pay a visit to Moldova in the near future. According to the Press Service of the Government, the discussions of the two heads of Government focused especially on the development of commercial-economic relations, which do not correspond to the existent collaboration potential. The collocutors agreed that the expansion of the legal framework, by signing the Cooperation Memorandum between the Ministries of Economy of the two countries will spur the process. Tarlev underlined the interest of Moldova in opening more Moldovan-Slovenian joint ventures, especially in energy, transport, infrastructure, science, agribusiness and pharmaceutical sector, in organising business forums, promoting the Moldovan wine on the Slovenian market. Also, Vasile Tarlev asked Slovenia to support Moldova in its collaboration with EU. Particularly, the PM referred to offering support for signing the Facilitation Agreement for the Schengen space, obtaining the Autonomous Trade Preferences, as well as the legal framework of the relations between Moldova and the European Union, following the model of the Agreements signed by EU with the countries of the South-Eastern Europe. The volume of external bilateral trade in 2006 amounted to USD 14 mln 756 thousand, by 25% compared with 2005. The export in 2006 constituted USD 1 mln 243.9 thousand, by 48% more. The imports in 2006 stood at USD 13 mln 512.1 thousand, by 24% higher.