The President of Romania Klaus Iohannis said the ties with the Republic of Moldova are profound, solid and sincere and the Romanian state will continue providing support by all the available means. The close relationship between the two states is even more important in the especially difficult regional context caused by the aggression war waged by Russia against Ukraine. The official made the statements in a news conference given at the Cotroceni Palace alongside President Maia Sandu, who is on an official visit to Bucharest, IPN reports.
“In today’s discussions, we addressed the ways in which the effects of this war can be felt the least by the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. I congratulated Missis President on the obtaining by the Republic of Moldova, in the June meeting of the European Council, of the EU candidate status. This is a deserved historic accomplishment, a real turning point for the future of the Republic of Moldova. It is an accomplishment for which Romania also struggled as this result was a strategic foreign policy objective for us too,” stated Klaus Iohannis.
The Romanian official noted that they also discussed Moldova’s energy security. It is known that the Republic of Moldova is specially vulnerable in this field, while the population already feels the shocks of the massive increases in natural gas and electricity prices. They conferred on the bilateral support options and the very important role and potential of the Iasi-Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline as an essential element of the energy security of the Republic of Moldova.
Klaus Iohannis said he was glad to ascertain that the implementation of the agreement on the provision of €100 million in non-reimbursable assistance started through four large projects that refer to the purchase of school buses, investments in water supply and sewerage systems, in the mass media and equipment for school laboratories. “These are projects with a direct impact on the citizens of the Republic of Moldova,” he stated.
For her part, President Maia Sandu expressed her conviction that the dialogue between the Moldovan and Romanian institutions will be further stepped up together with the Republic of Moldova’s advancement on the path of integration into the EU and Romania’s experience in this regard will be very useful.
“The European integration for Moldova will mean consolidation of a society guided by the supremacy of the law and the respect for the rights of all the people, accession to the richest and most prosperous market, investments and new opportunities for our citizens,” said the Moldovan official. She noted that Romania’s support is even more precious amid Russia’s war against Ukraine, which generated instability in the region, destabilized the energy market and the energy security of Moldova. The record inflation affects the purchasing power of the citizens and exerts greater pressure on the Moldovan producers, many of which lost the eastern markets.
“We appreciate the role of Romania that, alongside Germany and France, co-founded the Moldova Support Platform within which our development partners from all over the world offer us targeted support for the problems we encounter. But the situation requires to act very carefully and to look for alternative solutions so that we maintain stability in the country and pass winter well,” stated President Sandu, noting that the Moldovan authorities will continue the efforts to reform the state institutions, the justice sector and public services, to finance projects to develop infrastructure and stimulate businesses and to ensure better education and healthcare services for the people.
