Sweden to provide EUR 30 mln financial assistance to Moldova

Swedish authorities intend to increase the financial assistance funds that will be provided to Moldova. The financial support could total about EUR 11 mln annually for the next three years. This statement was made by Mats Aberg, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden in Moldova, during a meeting with Speaker Marian Lupu, a press release from the Parliament says. Sweden plans to adopt in the near future a new strategy for cooperation with Moldova with a view to strengthening bilateral relations and supporting the aspirations of European integration of our country. As Swedish official states, the new strategy will aim at supporting reforms and improving the practices of good government, assistance in developing the country’s regions and support in ensuring energy security in Moldova. Concurrently, Swedish ambassador has reiterated Sweden’s position referring to the maintenance of an EU open door policy for states as Moldova and encouragement of their aspirations to European integration. The Speaker requested Sweden’s support in obtaining a new juridical arrangement concerning Moldova’s relations with EU, an agreement on facilitation of the visa regime for Moldovan citizens, a new funding instrument, as the Autonomous Commercial Preferences, which would enable to attenuate negative economic effects of the Union’s recent enlargement, and would contribute to strengthening cooperation ties between economic entities in Moldova and EU and would hasten the taking over of the European quality standards. The collocutors have also discussed the possibility of organising, with the support of Sweden, an international meeting in Chisinau dedicated to Moldova’s European integration process.