Moldovan deputy premier for European integration on working visit to Germany

Chisinau, 8 November /MOLDPRES/- On 6-7 November, Deputy Prime Minister Iurie Leanca paid a working visit to Germany, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.

The official had meetings with foreign policy adviser to German Chancellor Jan Hecker, Bundestag's Chairman of the European Affairs Committee Guenter Krichbaum, Deputy Chairman of the Free Democrats Alexander von Lambsdorff and member of the Free Democratic Party in the German Bundestag Renata Alt , Deputy Head of the parliamentary friendship group with Romania, Bulgaria and Moldova Detleff Mueller, member of the Social Democratic Party Dirk Wiese, Director for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Michael Siebert.

The sides approached a lot of issues related to internal policy in Moldova, including preparation for the parliamentary elections in 2019 and the latest developments in the Transnistrian case, as well as the relations of Moldova with the neighboring countries, Russia and the EU. Alexander von Lambsdorff said that despite current problems faced by Moldova, the country must be given a clear European perspective at some point. “Moldova should enjoy the same treatment as the Western Balkan states,” he said. Detleff Mueller had a similar position.

At the same time, the German officials evoked Berlin’s concern over a lot of recent developments in Moldova, and regretted that our country lost the role of “leader” of Eastern Partnership. Moldova remains on the agenda of German foreign policy priorities in Southeast Europe, but the future of Moldovan-German and Moldovan-EU relations depends on the quality of parliamentary elections in 2019 and on the implementation of reforms set by Chisinau under the Moldova-EU Association Agreement.