Romania, Moldova pledge to work together to achieve Moldova's European integration goal

Romania and Moldova will work together to meet the fundamental goal of European integration, the foreign ministries of the two countries said on Friday in a joint press statement on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries. "In 1991, Romania was the first country to have recognised the independence of the Republic of Moldova, shortly after its proclamation by the first Parliament created after free and democratic elections. Our ties have a special nature, as they are built both on a communion of language, history and culture, as well as on a strategic partnership between Romania and Moldova for the European integration of Moldova concluded in 2010. These 30 years have marked, in terms of bilateral co-operation, the initiation and development of partnerships and projects in all fields with the strong involvement of institutions, organisations in the political, economic, social, academic, cultural, non-governmental, and local administration areas. As the bilateral relationships matured, these projects had at their core increasingly more the common interest of advancing and consolidating the European path of the Republic of Moldova," reads the joint statement of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Republic of Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration. Romania backed Moldova's efforts to conclude and subsequently implement an association agreement, including a free trade component, with the European Union, signed in 2014, with Romania being the first EU member state to have ratified the agreement, and lifted visas for Moldova's nationals travelling to Romania, an objective also achieved in 2014. In 2020-2021, Romania provided the Republic of Moldova with substantial donations of medical and protective equipment, as well as COVID-19 vaccines, and doctors and nurses came to the aid of their colleagues across the Prut. "Celebrating 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties is an opportunity to look to the future with responsibility and pragmatism, to strengthen the special relationship of friendship based on shared values and principles, our bilateral strategic partnership, and to support Moldova's European journey. Starting from the expectations of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova for a prosperous life in a democratic country with modern public institutions and independent justice, clearly expressed by vote in the November 2020 and July 2021 elections, Romania and Moldova will work together to fulfill the fundamental objective of Moldova's European integration, the only thing able to ensure the economic and social development of Moldova to the direct benefit of all its citizens," reads the joint statement. AGERPRES (RO - author: Alina Novaceanu, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)