Moldovan agriculture minister participates in meeting of agriculture ministers from South-Eastern Europe

Chisinau, 18 November /MOLDPRES/ - Agriculture and Food Industry Minister  Viorel Gherciu today participated in the 15th meeting of agriculture ministers from the South-Eastern Europe, held in Tirana, Albania. The event took place given the taking over by Albania of the chairmanship of the regional rural development standing working group (SWG).  

The participants in the meeting stressed the need of consolidation and cooperation between the countries, in order to create proper administrative mechanisms to ensure the development of rural regions. 

In the context, the agriculture ministers agreed on the importance of the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the process of development for the EU countries, as well as for Albania, The Tirana meeting was an occasion for Viorel Gherciu to exchange opinions with the agriculture ministers present at the event. The participants in the meeting also discussed the EU’s support for Moldova as for joining SWG.   

„Moldova’s government expressed commitment to share the European values for carrying out the European integration process. The Agriculture and Food Industry Ministry (MAIA) undertook concrete actions for the gradual adoption of the European legislation and for continuing the implementation of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement, which is a priority for us. The today’s meeting is an efficient instrument of monitoring the progress of the countries from the region, as well as of the challenges from the agriculture and rural development sectors in the implementation of the Association Agreement and the commitments to the European Union,’’ Gherciu said.  

According to the official, MAIA has finished the National Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development for 2022-2027, which fits the goals/priorities of EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. ‘’We set to approve the final draft of the Strategy till late December 2021. In this respect, we are grateful to the European Union for the support of the ministry through the Twinning project, Additional support for agriculture, rural development and food security in Moldova, in the process of working out of the new National Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development for 2022-2027, a document due to be adjusted to the priorities of EU’s CAP,’’ the minister stressed.     

The states participating in the event reiterated determination to consolidate the regional cooperation in the sectors related to agriculture, in order to extend the regional trade and the exchange of goods. They also confirmed commitment to implement the Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, adopted in Sofia in 2020 and the action plan, stipulated in the Brdo Declaration in October 2021.  

Photo: MAIA