Romania willing to earmark first instalment of financial assistance to Moldova

Chisinau,26 January /MOLDPRES/- Prime Minister Pavel Filip had a meeting with his Romanian counterpart Dacian Ciolos, within his visit to Bucharest today, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

The two officials considered up-to-date issues on the agenda of the Moldovan-Romanian bilateral relations, as well as subsequent actions by the Moldovan and Romanian governments, meant to boost cooperation  between the two states. An important topic for discussion was the agenda of reforms, provided for in the Moldova-EU Association Agreement and joint projects in diverse sectors.

Dacian Ciolos reiterated his country’s support for Moldova, including by earmarking the first instalment worth 60 million euros of the earlier agreed upon 150-million-euros financial assistance. He noted that this would happen immediately after the new government in Chisinau proves by concrete deeds that it was “committed to reforms”.

Filip thanked the Romanian side for  the support provided to Moldova, and expressed the country’s interest in a full turning to good account of a non-refundable financial assistance worth 100 million euros, offered by Romania under an intergovernmental agreement on implementation of technical and financial assistance programme. So far, over 32 million euros has been used. “We will be glad to further benefit from this valuable support, so necessary for implementing development policies and reforms in Moldova”, he said.

At the end of the talks, the sides held a news conference summing up the considered issues.

On this occasion, Ciolos announced an emergency support due to be provided to Moldova. “The Romanian government envisages, in the first phase, an emergency support to help Moldovans get out of the winter period, a more difficult period. I told Mr. Premier that, on the next period, we are going to analyze the possibility we have to come up with certain support, essential products, which we would like to supply directly to Moldovan citizens. So, this is a support addressed to the neediest Moldovans," he said.

Filip pointed out that “Romania’s support is vital for Moldova, which is going through a complicated period”. “Now I realised the meaning of the expression “A friend in need is a friend indeed”, he said.

Pavel Filip reiterated that the Moldovan government had embarced on the road of reforms and that, in the near future, it would provide, both to foreign partners and Moldovan citizens, concrete measures to improve the current economic and social situation.

(Editor M. Jantovan)