Moldovan president meets Romanian counterpart

Chisinau, 17 February /MOLDPRES/- President Nicolae Timofti, on an official visit to Bucharest, today met his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis, the presidential press service has reported.

The two presidents held face-to-face talks. At the meeting, Timofti gave Iohannis the state distinction Order of Republic. Afterwards, the delegations held an enlarged meeting, focused on the privileged relation between Moldova and Romania, in terms of possibility to create a common council, due to be made up of presidential advisers.

Also, the sides discussed the disbursement of the first installment of a loan provided by Romania to Moldova, on condition of implementing the European agenda and signing an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.

Meanwhile, Romania will create a humanitarian fund, meant to help Moldovan citizens.

After the meeting, the two presidents made a joint press statement.

The statement by Nicolae Timofti says:

“Dear Mr. President Klaus Iohannis,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I thank Mr. Iohannis from the bottom of my heart for the cordial atmosphere in which our talk was held, as well as for the full understanding he displayed for Moldova.

The special and privileged relation between our states is expressed by numerous bilateral projects, many of which are underway and others are following.

The political crisis from Chisinau and our institutional problems have not affected at all the political and economic dialogue between the two banks of the Prut river.

On the contrary, I have a feeling that the difficulties we are going through in Moldova made us much closer and the perspectives for cooperation become more and more obvious, unavoidable, I may say. This is the natural evolution of things, in my opinion.

The constant and valuable support Romania has been providing us  in many sectors is uncontestable. First of all, this backing is expressed by the assistance provided for our European integration. The progress we have made in the past in this sector is due, to a great extent, to the Romanian authorities, whom I thank once again.

I told Mr.Iohannis that I want Romania to further participate in our energy development, as we had earlier agreed, which would allow us getting out of the zone of vulnerabilities.

There are political, geopolitical and economic risks, which we approached in our discussion today, and their avoidance would place Moldova in a European stability space.

When we talk about investments, I think it is very important that a serious and reliable partner, with good intentions, should invest in Moldova, just as Romania is for us. 

Our political, economic and information rapprochement must be a desideratum of the next years. I am sure that this tendency will be useful for the people from both banks of the Prut river.

We are united by blood, history and spirit. We just have to turn to account this common treasure, in the name of our everybody's prosperity and security.

Thank you.”

The meeting was preceded by a ceremony of laying a wreath of flowers by President Nicolae Timofti  at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the Bucharest-based Carol Park. 

(Editor A. Raileanu)