The peoples of Moldova and Romania speak the same language, have the same consciousness and lived the same tumultuous history, President Nicolae Timofti said in the ceremony held to celebrate the National Day of Romania in Bucharest on December 1. He delivered a speech at the reception given by the Romanian President Traian Basescu at the Cotroceni Palace, IPN reports.

“I warmly congratulate Romania and all the Romanians on the occasion of the National Day on behalf of the Republic of Moldova. It is a great joy for me to be in Bucharest on this occasion and to thank President Basescu for the invitation he made to me. Here I fully felt the spirit of the national holiday of Romania,” said Nicolae Timofti.

He also said that in Vilnius Moldova took an important step towards the European integration, by initialing the Association Agreement with the EU. The country’s wish is to firmly advance on this path by which Romania and other EU member states developed. “We hope to become part of the European area as soon as possible so as to enjoy the same rights, democratic and economic values and free movement,” stated Nicolae Timofti.

He thanked the EU ambassadors attending the reception for the confidence and support provided to Moldova. He wished the Romanians from Romania and everywhere to have power to look at the future with confidence, to have accomplishments and to keep the spirit that they inherited from the ancestors.