Romania - number one trade partner for Moldova - PM says

Chisinau, 3 April /MOLDPRES/- Romania is the number one trade partner for Moldova. Prime Minister Pavel Filip made the statement in an interview with for a daily newspaper in Bucharest.

Once the implementation of the Association and Free Trade Agreement with the EU, Moldova increased its exports on the EU market, this year going to 65 per cent of total exports. “At the same time, Romania remains the most important market when we talk about the EU,” he said.

The premier noted that the neighboring state supports Moldova over the past years. “I will never forget the beginning of 2016, when Moldova blocked foreign financing, due to the crisis and until we had an agreement with the IMF, we could not unblock any other funding. The only country that helped us then was Romania, with a loan of 60 million euros unconditionally at that time and two more installments, the loan amounting to 150 million euros,” he said.

Filip voiced confidence that after Romania takes over the EU Council presidency, Moldova’s relations with the EU will step up. “We look forward to Romania to take over the EU Council presidency, and I am sure, as we discussed with Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and President Klaus Iohannis, to some goals that can be achieved for Moldova’s EU accession,” he concluded.

(Reporter A. Zara, editor M. Jantovan)