Moldovan parliament speaker supports creating joint database of potential investors in Black Sea Region

Chisinau, 16 May /MOLDPRES/ – Moldova supports idea of ​​creating a joint database of potential investors and exporters from member countries of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation (BSECO) to facilitate data exchange and investment attraction, as well as several joint initiatives for small and medium-sized enterprises. The statement was made by Speaker of Parliament, Andrian Candu, in Istanbul at the Summit of Speakers of the BSEC Member States, the highest forum organised on occasion of PABSEC's 25th anniversary, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.

"We are very interested in strengthening direct business cooperation and facilitating public-private partnerships so as to respond adequately to needs of regional challenges and to offer to private sector business some opportunities in the Black Sea region," said Andrian Candu.

According to the speaker, the Black Sea region is becoming increasingly important for Europe, USA and other major powers, and parliaments of the PABSEC have a special role within strengthening legislative framework for economic growth and social inclusion, developing new and renewable energy sources, as well as ensuring peace and security in the Black Sea region.

"Twenty five years ago, the BSECO was one of few post – Soviet initiatives that managed to unite the Black Sea states in a regional community. Only by support of parliaments, providing legal basis for economic, trade, social and political cooperation between member countries, it was possible for BSECO to become a proactive and constructive actor in the region," pointed out the Parliament Speaker.

Andrian Candu has referred to challenges facing countries in the Black Sea region, such as political and economic uncertainty, terrorism, state tensions, frozen conflicts and more recent active conflicts. According to Speaker, local conflicts are a serious source of regional instability.

"The political, social and economic costs of separatist conflicts in Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Ukraine have seriously increased the difficulties inherent in transition decades. Regardless of aspirations of our states in terms of economic development, we have no choice but interact and cooperate more, make mutually advantageous business and discover new opportunities that this region will offer us," said the Speaker of Parliament.

Andrian Candu has recalled that by signing EU Association Agreement, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Zone (DCFTZ), the three countries reconfirmed their political and economic future as European integration.

"We want our efforts to contribute to restoration of the Black Sea region as an area of ​​peace, cooperation and development," said SP.

At the Istanbul Summit, Speaker of Parliament, Andrian Candu, will meet with several officials attending the event.

Moldova cooperates with several regional programmes and initiatives of PABSEC within economy, trade, transport, energy, environment, tourism, education, science and technology. Only in 2017, the trade volume of Moldova with BSEC member countries constituted $3.4 billion or about 47 per cent of total trade volume.

This year, PABSEC marks 25 years since its inception. The PABSEC was created in 1993 in Istanbul by representatives of parliaments from 9 countries – Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. The PABSEC is an important platform for strengthening regional cooperation and harnessing the economic potential between Member States.