Moldovan deputy premier, Swedish ambassador discuss partnership, reforms, Transnistrian settlement

Chisinau, 11 March /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister Gheorghe Balan today had a meeting with Ambassador of Sweden to Moldova Signe Burgstaller, the Bureau for Reintegration has reported.  

The dialogue was focused on a wide range of subjects concerning the Moldovan-Swedish partnership, course of reforms promoted by the government, in the context of implementation of the Moldova – European Union Association Agreement, as well as on the Transnistrian settlement.   

The deputy prime minister made a short presentation of the current situation and prospects for the negotiating process. Balan highlighted the priorities and commitments of the new cabinet in terms of Moldova’s reintegration and strengthening the statehood.

Gheorghe Balan informed the ambassador about the results of a meeting of the governmental commission for Moldova’s reintegration from 1 March and the subjects tackled at a meeting of the political representatives in the process of negotiations on Transnistrian settlement from 3 March. The participants in the latter meeting pointed out the problems which must be settled without delay, as they regard the observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the region, ensuring the free movement of people and transport means, maintaining stability in the Security Zone and within its perimeter, etc.  

Also, the deputy prime minister emphasized the need to improve the atmosphere of dialogue between Chisinau and Tiraspol, so that new positive developments be recorded, able to ensure a friendly ground for organisation of visits in the 3+2 format (mediators and observers in the negotiating process), continuity of the official meetings in the 5+2 format of talks be ensured and the necessary preparations be started for the seventh Bavarian conference for promotion of confidence building measures.

Balan specified that the government had taken responsibility to back the residents from Moldova’s eastern districts, by extending the single areas to the region, promoting measures to strengthen trust between the residents from the two banks of Dniester and organisation of campaigns on informing enterprises and residents of the Transnistrian region about the opportunities and benefits of the trade with EU, as well as on the positive impact of the reintegration policies.

At the meeting, Gheorghe Balan thanked the Swedish government for the valuable assistance provided to Moldova, including through the projects implemented in the Transnistrian region. He said these projects helped consolidate the relations between the residents from the two banks of Dniester, enhancing the degree of confidence between them and favouring the social and economic development of settlements.

For her part, Ambassador Signe Burgstaller thanked for the discussion and reiterated Sweden’s support for carrying out the democratic and economic reforms in Moldova. At the same time, the Swedish diplomat took advantage of the occasion to congratulate Gheorghe Balan on his appointment to the office of deputy prime minister for reintegration.

(Editor A. Raileanu)