The twinning of localities in Moldova and Romania has been a normal process without a coordinated program between the two states. The experts invited to IPN’s public debate “Twinning of localities in Moldova and Romania, a step towards European integration” formulated opinions and reflected on the opportunities and responsibilities implied by these close cooperation relations.

The mayor of the municipality of Edineț Constantin Cojocaru, vice president of the Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM), said that since the first twinning was established with a Romanian locality, he has closely felt this natural process. The twinned communities are united by the common language and way of life.

“I saw the coming closer of the localities from Romania towards European integration initially as Romanian integration. This was the concept of the times, but in time we saw that it became practically impossible to come close to each other for unification, either by referendum or by another political form and we are therefore trying to find a formula through European integration into the Romanian space. The intention is very clear: the brothers remain brothers and have a common language,” stated Constantin Cojocaru.

The mayor of the municipality of Strășeni Valentina Casian, CALM vice president, noted that Strășeni now has over 15 cooperation and twinning agreements and seven of these were signed with Romanian localities. These cooperation agreements brought only benefits to the community.

“These twinning relations, of unity, actually represent a right of which we were unjustly deprived. The mayors have differing views, but I’m making effort to bring our communities closer. We speak the same language and have the same traditions and culture and therefore set the goal of developing these partnerships and all want to be in the EU as we see this association in the big family called the European Union,” stated Valentina Casian.

She noted that there are situations when the mayors do not even meet after signing twinning agreements or meet only because they want to polish their image and to obtain financial resources from Romania.

Mayor of Budești commune Nina Costiuc said that these twinning agreements are a kind of people’s diplomacy. The equality sign should not be placed when it goes to twinning and partnerships, to association between localities or communities from the two sides of the Prut.

“Our partnership with Cumpăna opened up new opportunities and we implemented a number of projects and exchanged experience. We also set the goal of investing in children and of showing to the children from Bessarabia how Romania is, to reach even the Black Sea. In fact, we say that we are brothers, but should build not flower bridges but concrete bridges and should twin so as to bring the two banks of the Prut closer,” stated Nina Costiuc.

The public debate entitled “Twinning of localities in Moldova and Romania, a step towards European integration” was staged in the framework of the project “Double integration through cooperation and information”, which is implemented by IPN News Agency with support from the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova of the Government of Romania.