The signing by Moldova of the Association Agreement with the EU, which includes the Free Trade Agreement, lays the foundations for Moldova’s rapid development and will contribute to increasing the country’s attractiveness before foreign investors. This will ensure well-paid jobs and more money collected into the budget. Within the Free Trade Agreement, the EU will provide hundreds of millions of Euros in financial assistance for Moldovan producers, Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said in Brussels after the signature of the accord.
“The agreement will launch the transformations we expect,” Valeriu Lazar stated for Publika TV, saying that until now the foreign investors were more precautious about Moldova because it didn’t ensure safety. “We will have better game rules. More investments will come and this means more workspaces and a larger budget for investing more in infrastructure. What do our people want? They want better roads, outfitted schools and hospitals and doctors and teachers with decent salaries. They also want jobs and this accord sets off mechanisms that will help achieve these objectives,” he stated.
The minister underlined that during the negotiations the authorities made sure that the national producers are protected. They will receive financial support from the EU. “The EU market will be opened for our agricultural products gradually, during 10 years. Next year along, the EU will offer over €60 million in assistance. We speak about hundreds of millions of Euros in support for companies. This is the positive difference between the agreement with the East and the one with the EU. The EU comes with structural reform programs through which financial resources are provided” Valeriu Lazar said, denying the assertions that this accord will lead to the bankruptcy of the national producers.
In Brussels, Valeriu Lazar met with European Commissioner for Energy Gerhard Oettinger, who accepted his invitation to visit Moldova on August 27, when the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline will be put into operation. The ceremony will also involve representatives of the EBRD and EIB.
Valeriu Lazar said that Moldova will identify sources for ensuring its energy security and this is not done to Russia’s detriment. “We informed the European partners about our intentions to continue cooperating with Gazpromul, but to also find alternative sources and this has nothing to do with our relations with Russia because every responsible government makes effort to have alternative sources. It is an absolutely transparent policy. We don’t do it against someone. We do it in order to ensure safe supplies,” stated the minister.
