Moldovan acting PM says Romania today gives strong helping hand to Moldova

Chisinau, 19 February /MOLDPRES/ - Moldova today received humanitarian assistance on behalf of Romania’s government, which will fill the emergency stocks with products, materials and sanitary equipment necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus infection. The official ceremony on the humanitarian assistance’s delivery took place on the Great National Assembly Square, where a column of 13 trucks with donated materials, worth 2.3 million euros, was placed, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

Attending the event were President Maia Sandu, acting Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Aureliu Ciocoi, members of the Romanian delegation, led by Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu and State Secretary at the Romanian Internal Affairs Ministry Raed Arafat, as well as members of the European diplomatic corps in Moldova.  

Acting PM Aureliu Ciocoi appreciated the generous gesture and expressed thanks to Romania and the Romanian government for all assistance provided to Moldova during time. ‘’The quickness and solidarity proved by the partners from EU is extraordinary. The solidarity is the key which allows us to hope that, in a difficult moment, friends will always appear who will give us a helping hand. Today, Romania gave us a strong helping hand to combat the pandemic effects; I hope very much that this big consignment would allow the medical staff from our hospitals to cope with this scourge – Covid-19,’’ the official said.

The acting prime minister noted that this was the second installment supplied to Moldova on behalf of the EU member countries, through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, activated by Moldova on 4 February 2021. At the same time, the authorities are in permanent dialogue with foreign partners on the as quickly as possible ensuring of the delivery of vaccines to Moldova, in order to start the national vaccination programme.   

Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu reconfirmed Romania’s intention to continue backing Moldova in the European integration, carrying out of the reforms assumed under the Association Agreement and implementation of the projects on interconnection for the benefit of the citizens. ‘’Romania regards Moldova as a priority. This visit is aimed at enforcing the measures of support announced by Romania’s president during his recent visit to Chisinau,’’ the Romanian minister said.

Therefore, the Romanian diplomacy head said that the government of Romania was to provide 6,000 tons of diesel oil to support farmers from Moldova hit by the drought. At the same time, the Romanian cabinet takes considerable effort to provide to Moldova a donation of 200,000 vaccine doses and is open for concluding the sixth additional protocol to the agreement on the implementation of the Technical and Financial Assistance Programme, based on a non-refundable support worth 100 million euros, provided by Romania to Moldova. Under the agreement, 68 million euros is available to carry out needed projects in Moldova.

EU Ambassador to Moldova Peter Michalko stressed that this donation proved that the European Union was by the side of Moldova’s citizens. ‘’During the pandemic, EU provided constant support to Moldova, within the Solidarity for Health Initiative of EU and the World Health Organization (WHO), protection equipment and medical material, funds meant for reviving the economy, strengthening the health care system, macro-financial assistance and the most recent thing – Contract on Resilience, which will bring an extra 300 million lei to Moldova,’’ the EU ambassador said.    

In the end of the event, the officials made a tour of inspecting the consignment donated by Romania. The humanitarian assistance includes medical protection equipment, 1.5 surgical masks, 100,000 FFP3 masks, 100,000 coveralls and 100,000 non-sterile gloves.    

photo: Government