New parliamentary cooperation page between Moldova, Turkey

Chisinau, 12 July /MOLDPRES/ – The parliamentary cooperation between the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova and the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey writes a new page in the history of good cooperation relations between Moldova and Turkey, said Andrian Candu at today's meeting with the members of the Republic of Turkey – Republic of Moldova Parliamentary Friendship Group, visiting Moldova on 11-14 July 2017.

According to the parliament’s communication and public relations department, the Speaker said that Turkey had a strong business community with important investors in telecommunications, health, retail, hotel and construction business.

The parties also addressed the issue of Gagauz autonomy in their discussions. The Speaker informed colleagues in Turkish Parliament that the Moldovan authorities paid special attention to the region, and the new electoral system would take into account the boundary of autonomy in the constitution of the constituencies. The parliament will also contribute to the expansion of the southern Free Economic Zone (ZEL).

Also, Andrian Candu thanked for the invitation to pay a working visit in Turkey on 12-14 September 2017, as well as announced that the group would include MPs in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova from ATU Gagauzia and the People's Assembly of Gagauzia.

Subsequently, the Turkish MPs met the members of the Republic of Moldova – Republic of Turkey Friendship Group. The Group Chairman, MP Anatolie Zagorodnii, appreciated the good cooperation established between Parliaments of Moldova and Turkey and noted that Parliamentary Friendship Groups provided a favourable environment for promoting and strengthening the dialogue between the parties.

"We are grateful to Turkey for financial support of €100,000 to liquidate the consequences of heavy snowfall in April 2017, resulting in great material losses. Similarly, we want our country's economy to remain an attractive destination for Turkish investors," said the MP.

At his part, the Chairman of the Friendship Group of Turkey, Mehmet Altay, thanked for the good organization of the visit and appreciated the evolution of the bilateral relations during the 25 years from their establishment. "We welcome the signing of several bilateral agreements so far, as well as the strategic collaboration to be signed by the Joint Declaration of the Presidents of our countries, during the visit of the Moldovan Speaker in September," said the head of the group.

The guests were greeted in Turkish by the MPs in the Parliament from the ATU Gagauzia, who thanked for the region's social-economic development projects, implemented with the support of Turkey.

Also today, the Turkish MPs met with members of the Foreign Policy and European Integration Commission. In the discussion, Commission Head, Valentina Buliga, appreciated the contribution of Turkey to development of Moldova through investments, projects, and the social security agreement for citizens of Moldova and Turkey. "Through parliamentary diplomacy we want the fortification and advancement of existing relations."

The diplomatic relations between Moldova and Turkey were established on 03 February 1992. There are 1,126 firms with Turkish capital in Moldova.