Moldova

*President Traian Basescu sent a message to his Moldovan counterpart Nicolae Timofti on the Republic of Moldova Independence Day on Wednesday, stating that Moldovans' European aspirations, prosperity and true friendship will be his soul project.

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.

National Liberal Party (PNL) Chairman Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday sent a message on Republic of Moldova's Independence Day, in which he maintains that this country has been and it still is Euro-Atlantic Romania's major theme.

NOVI SAD - The second International Festival of Contemporary Art entitled 'Danube Dialogues' will open in Novi Sad on Wednesday, gathering 85 artists and 12 art theoreticians from 14 countries in the Danube macro region.

The Romanian Foreign Affairs Ministry hails Wednesday's 23rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Moldova's independence and stresses Romania was the first state to have recognised the neighbouring country's independence in 1991, the ministry said in a release to AGERPRES.

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and the accompanying official delegation paying a visit to the neighbouring Republic of Moldova on the occasion of Moldova's Independence Day celebrated on Aug. 27 laid bunches of flowers at the monument of medieval ruler Stephen the Great and Holy in the Moldovan capital on Wednesday.

The new pipeline, which connects the town of Iasi, in eastern Romania, with Ungheni in Moldova, will help the former Soviet republic reduce its reliance on gas imports from Russia.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Moldavan Prime Minister, Iurie Leanca, will be present on Wednesday for the official inauguration of the 45-kilometre-long pipeline.

President Traian Basescu sent a message to his Moldovan counterpart Nicolae Timofti on the Republic of Moldova Independence Day on Wednesday, stating that Moldovans' European aspirations, prosperity and true friendship will be his soul project.

Romania's Prime Minister, Victor Ponta, on Monday said that one of his objectives at the upcoming NATO summit in Wales is to obtain a commitment for a “clear NATO military presence" in Romania and the region.

*Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced on Monday that Defence Minister Mircea Dusa and Foreign Minister Titus Corlatean will attend NATO Summit to be held in Wales on Sept. 4 and 5.
Ponta underscored that Romania's objectives at the gathering were set with all the state institutions and they target NATO military presence in Romania.