Joint Commission for European Integration of Moldovan, Romanian parliaments holds meeting

Chisinau, 11 June /MOLDPRES/ - The parliament today hosted the seventh meeting of the Joint Commission for European Integration between the Parliament of Moldova and Parliament of Romania. The session was chaired by Co-heads of the Commission, George Mocanu and Bogdan-Ionel Rodeanu, the parliament’s communication and public relations department has reported.  

The co-head on behalf of Moldova’s parliament, George Mocanu, has said that Romania is the constant and special partner of Moldova in the European integration process. “The holding by Romania of the Presidency of the European Union’s Council in the first half of 2019 might represent a platform due to facilitate the advancement in certain fields of the Moldova – Romania cooperation, as well as an opportunity for the promotion of the country’s European integration,” Mocanu said.

At the same time, George Mocanu noted that he would convey a request to the governments of Moldova and Romania to introduce on the agenda of the next meetings the discussion of a new bilateral agreement which would facilitate the employment of the citizens of both countries.    

For his part, the co-head on behalf of Romania’s parliament, Bogdan-Ionel Rodeanu, reiterated Romania’s support to create premises for Moldova getting closer to the European integration goal through the carrying out of joint projects in  economy, regional development, agriculture, energy, industry, education, culture, etc. “We speak out for speeding up projects on Moldova’s inter-connection to the European energy market, for the development of cooperation in construction sector and modernizing the transport infrastructure at border checkpoints,” the Romanian lawmaker said.   

State Secretary at the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry Daniela Morari presented Moldova’s performance in the implementation of the Association Agreement. She referred to the new plan on carrying out the accord for 2017-2019.   

Following discussions between MPs from the Moldovan parliament’s standing commissions and lawmakers of the commissions of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies and Senate, the sides signed the Declaration of the Joint Commission for European Integration. The document sets priorities in the future Moldovan-Romanian cooperation; the MPs urged the Moldovan and Romanian cabinets to actively contribute to the implementation of joint projects of foreign policy, national security, economy, regional development, agriculture, industry, education, culture and human resources.   

The co-heads of the Commission, George Mocanu and Bogdan-Ionel Rodeanu, announced the objectives specific for the immediately next period at a news briefing. It is about the submitting of petitions on the speeding up of completing projects of Moldova’s interconnection to the European energy market, developing cooperation in the construction sector and transport infrastructure modernization, enhancing the efficiency of control mechanisms at the border checkpoints, in order to ease the flow of persons, transport means and goods.     

At the same time, the Commission declares for an enhanced parliamentary dialogue between the parliamentary commissions with similar activity fields, which will tackle the joint agenda and prospects of the bilateral relation. The Commission will also periodically assess the political commitments taken by both states, as well as the joint priorities of action and ways of coordinating and boosting the cooperation in the context of Moldova’s European integration.    

Under the agenda, the Romanian parliament’s delegation to the Joint Commission for European Integration today morning had a meeting with Parliament Speaker Andrian Candu. In the afternoon, the Romanian MPs will discuss with lawmakers from the commission for economy, budget and finances, commission for foreign policy and European integration, commission for social protection, health and family. Also, the Romanian delegation will hold discussions with government officials and will visit a string of social and cultural institutions, renovated with the financial backing of the Romanian government.    

The parliament of Moldova was represented at the meeting by MPs George Mocanu, Marcel Raducan, Roman Botan, Corneliu Padnevici, Igor Vremea, Valerian Bejan and Sergiu Stati. The Romanian’s parliament’s delegation was made up of lawmakers Bogdan-Ionel Rodeanu, Silviu-Nicu Macovei, Andrei-Daniel Gheorghe, József-György Kulcsár-Terza, Ștefan Mușoiu, Tudor Ciuhodaru, Maricela Cobuz, Nicolae-Daniel Popescu and senator Ion Hadarca. Attending the meeting was also European MP, head of the European Parliament’s Delegation to the EU-Moldova Parliamentary Association Committee Andi Cristea.     

The Joint Commission for European Integration between the Parliament of Moldova and Parliament of Romania holds meetings twice a year, alternatively, in Bucharest and Chisinau. The last meeting took place in Bucharest on 20-21 November 2017.