Moldovan speaker outlines boost in bilateral connections with Turkey after twenty five years of diplomatic relations

Chisinau, 13 September /MOLDPRES/ – Parliament Speaker, Andrian Candu, met with his counterpart, President of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey, Ismail Kahraman, today, the parliament's communication and public relations department has reported.  

The parties spoke about intensifying the cooperation of Moldova and Turkey, about deepening the Moldovan-Turkish interparliamentary cooperation within the international organizations.

The head of the Ankara legislature appreciated the ascendant development of Moldovan-Turkish relations, as well as the collaboration between the central administration of Chisinau and Gagauzia within the working group on the parliamentary platform. "Gagauzia is the territory of Moldova. We offer and we will provide support to Gagauzian region for its integration into the Republic of Moldova and its contribution to the development of the whole country," said the Ankara Speaker.

Kahraman welcomed the extension of the Free Economic Zone (ZEL) Valkanes, which will attract investors to Gagauzian region and therefore increase economic growth. The parties also discussed the extension of the bilateral Free Trade Agreement, which entered into force in 2016.

"We have the potential to increase investment in Moldova up to $1 billion," said the Turkish Speaker. The two officials also spoke of the possibility of opening a Turkish commercial bank in Moldova. In order to boost economic and trade relations, Ismail Kahraman said that Turkey supported the establishment of a Commercial-Economic Office within the Embassy of Moldova, which would have offices in Istanbul and Ankara.

"Although we have no common borders, we see a neighbour in the Republic of Moldova. Based on this neighbourhood, we want to further develop our relations," said Kahraman.

At his turn, Speaker Andrian Candu said, that "after 25 years of diplomatic relations between Moldova and Turkey, we witness their boost in all directions: commercial, economic, cultural and political."

The head of the Chisinau legislature thanked his counterpart for the support that the Republic of Turkey has given to Moldova, and especially to Gagauzian region, which did not just cover diplomatic relations. Through our Turkish Agency for Cooperation and Coordination (TIKA), Moldova received financial and technical assistance worth $33 million to implement projects in areas such as healthcare, education and environment.

Andrian Candu also invited Ismail Kahraman to visit Chisinau.

The Parliament Speaker, accompanied by the President of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia, Vladimir Cissa, and a parliamentary delegation are in Ankara, paying an official visit at the invitation of his counterpart Ismail Kahraman.