Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline inaugurated with Romanian, Moldovan Prime Minister and EU Energy Commissioner attending

AGERPRES special correspondent Daniel Florea reports: Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca and European Commissioner for Energy Gunther Oettinger this Wednesday lit in the town of Zagarancea - Ungheni rayon, the inaugural torch on the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline, with the two states' official delegations and locals attending the ceremony.

"Exactly one year ago I was here with Mr. Leanca and Mr. Oettinger to finally kick-start the gas pipeline project. Some of you said that they had heard of this pipeline five years, 10 years and even 15 years ago and doubted that we would really get it built. Now we did it and I want to thank Commissioner Oettinger, because without the European Commission's support, Romania and Moldova alone could not have succeeded in doing this. I want to congratulate Iurie Leanca on being a Prime Minister whose major concern every day, every hour is: 'What needs still to be done for the people of Moldova?' (...). That's how a Prime Minister who wants the best for his country acts and we are trying to do this together. I believe that by today's opening ceremony we give a message to everyone, and I want us to be friends with everyone, but the message must be clear: for Moldova and Romania to be truly independent they also need energy, just as we need all the other resources. Together we can be truly independent and jointly garner respect for this. And this is the message we give today to Europe and everybody," were Prime Minister Victor Ponta's remarks in the speech delivered at the opening of the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline.

Victor Ponta thanked the companies involved in the project, as well as his fellow ministers in the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea, Minister of...