Sweden to further back Moldova’s development

Chisinau, 9 February /MOLDPRES/- Moldovan Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu today held a meeting with the State Secretary of the Swedish Ministry for Enterprise and Innovation, Oskar Stenstrӧm. The sides focused on the parliament’s priorities for the near future, immediate solutions to improve Moldova’s social-economic situation, implementation of EU integration reforms and also ways to consolidate its energy security.

The officials have also exchanged views on the Moldovan-Swedish cooperation and projects Moldovan authorities had already started. To this effect, Sweden’s experience could substantially improve living standards of Moldovan citizens. The implementation of the 112 single emergency number for the entire country, connecting Moldova’s energy infrastructure to the Romanian one, as well as the creation of a specialized unit in charge of coordinating and monitoring the implementation of the association agreement, are some of the projects mentioned above.

As for the legislative priorities on the agenda of the parliament’s first plenary meetings, Candu highlighted the reformation of the Prosecutor General’s Office, consolidation of the financial-banking system by adopting the legislative “banking package”, as well as the enhancement of the energy legislation.

Candu assured that the Moldovan parliament would fill in the legislative gaps in the implementation of the association agreement by the next meeting of EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee, due in the second half of March 2016.

The sides have also tackled the cooperation between Moldova’s central authorities, the Gagauz autonomy and the breakaway Transnistrian region. Candu voiced confidence that the current constructive dialogue between Chisinau and Comrat would have positive results, and the practice could be used to settle the Transnistrian problem as well.

For his part, the Swedish official assured that Sweden would further back the implementation of EU integration reforms in Moldova, encouraging authorities to consolidate democratic institutions and tightly cooperate with the civil society, which should fully participate in decision-making processes.

Candu’s visit to Stockholm continues, as he will hold a large-format meeting with his Swedish counterpart, Urban Ahlin and other Swedish MPs today in the afternoon.

On 8 February, the Moldovan speaker held a string of meetings with the Swedish culture and democracy minister, as well as with the head of Stockholm Municipal Council.

(Editor A. Raileanu)