Moldovan foreign minister attends meeting of European Action Group for Moldova

Chisinau, 16 March /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Natalia Gherman participated in the 10th meeting of the European Action Group for Moldova (EAGM) in Brussels today, the Foreign and European Integration Ministry's information and media communication service has reported.

The event was co-chaired by Romania and France. Attending the meeting also were EU member states foreign ministers, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. 

The high-ranking officials voiced support for the new Moldovan government, which continued to be committed to carry the European agenda and reforms underway, in the context of implementation of the Moldova-European Union Association Agreement. 

In her speech, Natalia Gherman presented the main areas of government's work, among which the justice reform, fighting corruption and Transnistrian conflict settlement. Gherman presented the first results of the implementation of the Free Trade Area, according to which the exports to EU increased by about 10 per cent and, at present, they account for over 53 per cent of Moldova's overall foreign trade. 

For their part, the European officials praised the results recorded by the Moldovan authorities and specified that Moldova continued to be a positive and eloquent example within the Eastern Partnership. EU also positively answered to a request by the Moldovan side to expand the mission of European high-ranking experts, who will facilitate the domestic reform process and enforcement of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement. At the same time, the officials stressed the commitment for developing the opportunities provided by the Free Trade Area, including by increasing the direct European investments into the national economy, especially in the rural area. „EU will continue to provide more assistance and expertise to Moldova,” Johannes Hahn said. 

The officials exchanged opinions about the preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit due in Riga and highlighted that it should become a reference point for a more ambitious approach of EU towards the eastern neighbours. 

The participants also addressed the Transnistrian conflict settlement and situation in the region. 

(Editor M. Jantovan)