Moldovan PM receives Turkish ambassador

Chisinau, 12 July /MOLDPRES/ - Prime Minister Pavel Filip and Ambassador of Turkey to Moldova Mehmet Selim Kartal discussed the evolution of the Moldovan-Turkish relations and prospects for boosting the ties at a today’s meeting, held in the occasion of the end of the Turkish diplomat’s mission in Moldova, the government’s communication and media relations department has reported.

In the beginning of the meeting, the prime minister reiterated the message of sympathy for the victims of the terrorist attack which occurred at the Istanbul Airport. Filip reconfirmed Moldova’s full willingness and support to closely cooperate with the Turkish authorities in fighting terror threats.   

At the same time, Pavel Filip thanked the ambassador for the work carried out during his activity in Moldova, stressing that the Turkish diplomat’s actions had essentially contributed to strengthening the cooperation and friendship ties between Moldova and Turkey. “On the period of your mandate, the agreement on liberalization of the visa regime was signed, and the Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and Turkey has been recently ratified, which represents a good opportunity to deepen the economic and commercial relations,” the PM noted.      

For his part, Mehmet Selim Kartal thanked the Moldovan authorities and people for the warm reception he had enjoyed on all this period, highlighting that Turkey continued speaking out for developing the bilateral relations and turning to good account the positive results achieved by the Moldovan government on the last period. In the context of the actions aimed to stabilize the banking sector of Moldova, the diplomat proposed to involve Turkish experts. “Turkey faced a similar situation and our experience might be welcome for the Chisinau authorities,” Mehmet Selim Kartal said.  

The officials exchanged opinions on social and economic developments, reforms’ agenda and priorities of Moldova’s foreign policy. 

PM Pavel Filip thanked the Turkish ambassador for the financial and technical assistance provided through the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA), projects which were implemented including in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. Also, the sides discussed a string of investment projects carried out by Turkish partners in Moldova, as well as prospects for extending the cooperation sectors.    

In 2015, the export between Moldova and Turkey amounted to 64.4 million dollars, and the export stood at 285.1 million dollars. On 1 January 2016, as many as 1,126 enterprises with Turkish capital were recorded in Moldova.

(Editor M. Jantovan)