Moldovan, Russian officials tackle bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation, political dialogue, ties

Chisinau, 17 April /MOLDPRES/ - Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu met the chairman of the Council of Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS IPA), Chairman of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko in Saint Petersburg on 16 April, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.

The officials broached a string of issues on the bilateral political dialogue agenda and Moldovan-Russian inter-parliamentary dialogue evolutions.

Andrian Candu highlighted that CIS IPA represented an important platform of talks and an opportunity to develop inter-parliamentary ties in this format.

At the same time, Candu referred to his initiative to enhance communication with Gagauz representatives and Transnistrian ones for the benefit of all Moldovan citizens. Andrian Candu informed that it was for the first time when the chair of the Gagauz Popular Assembly participated in the meeting of CIS Inter-parliamentary Assembly Council as member of the Moldovan parliamentary delegation.

Valentina Matviyenko said that Russia respected the development option chosen by Moldova and wished a pragmatic and friendly cooperation with Moldova in areas of joint interest. ”Russia observes Moldova’s sovereign interest to chose the European integration as development model, but we are also concerned with the compatibility of the free trade regime within CIS space and Free Trade Agreement with EU. Russia is a traditional market for Moldova, this is why it is very necessary to find a common point as to mutual trade,” Matviyenko said.

Matviyenko added that Russia was ready to sign a humanitarian cooperation agreement with Moldova, as well as to speed up the inter-parliamentary dialogue. In the context, Valentina Matviyenko invited Andrian Candu to pay a visit to Moscow, together with a delegation made up of MPs of all parliamentary factions.

”Russia is an important strategic trade partner of Moldova. The embargo put on fruits and vegetables was a regrettable factor, which damaged somewhat the bilateral political dialogue,” Andrian Candu said.

The sides also approached aspects related to economic and commercial exchanges between the two states, situation of Moldovans working in Russia, as well as the provisions of the legislative initiative on banning foreign media propaganda on Moldova’s territory.

(Editor A. Raileanu)