Moldovan foreign affairs minister meets Danish counterpart

Chisinau, 11 March /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu today received in Chisinau Foreign Affairs Minister of Denmark Jeppe Kofod, on a working visit to Moldova. The schedule of the two officials started with the visit to the Palanca border crossing point, at the frontier between Moldova and Ukraine, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.  

„We talked to people there, who have to rake refuge to Moldova fleeing the war; we discussed with border policemen and employees of the Migration and Asylum Bureau, who are first-line heroes, along with customs officers, carabineers, physicians, social assistants and all colleagues who permanently help the refugees, on which occasion, I would like to publicly thank very much. It is essential that, in these moments, we prove solidarity and humaneness in our call for peace,’’ Deputy PM Nicu Popescu said.   

The Moldovan official said that, at present, more than 309,000 refugees had entered Moldova, of whom over 278,000 are Ukrainian citizens and over 131,000 refugees are on the territory of the country, of whom 101,000 are citizens of Ukraine and over 47,000 are minors.   

„Moldova cannot be indifferent; it firmly committed to help absolutely all people who took refuge from Ukraine. In this respect, the biggest humanitarian operation in the country’s history was enforced, as the continuous flow of people arriving being a big challenge for us, for which reason we need flexible financial instruments, in order to be able to cope with the situation,’’ the Moldovan minister said.   

The discussions at the plenary session of the delegation of the two foreign affairs ministries were focused preponderantly on the developments as to the regional security situation, management of the flow of refugees from Ukraine and the assistance which Moldova needs to strengthen the capacity of response of the state’s institutions, in such sectors as public order, fortifying the health system, as well as the economic and financial resilience. The diplomats also referred to the need to consolidate the two countries’ efforts, in order to be able to manage the big flow of refugees who continue to come from Ukraine. The Moldovan minister offered thanks to the government of Denmark for the assistance provided through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.   

„I informed my Danish colleague that the governance team would continue making proper order in the public institutions, to reform the justice, improve the business environment, to back the vulnerable categories of the society and to promote the mutual respect and cohesion in the society,’’ Nicu Popescu said.  

The Moldovan diplomacy head informed his Danish counterpart that, in the context of the European agenda, the support and appreciation of the citizens for the signing of the application on Moldova’s accession to the European Union was based on the irreversibility of the course of the country’s European integration, as well as the wish to live peacefully, in democracy and prosperity, along with the European family.   

„I welcomed the 10 March Versailles Declaration of the European Council, which invited the European Commission to express its opinion on our application on accession. We rely on the support of Denmark in this process. We are sure that each application on accession needs a special discussion within the European Union. The irreversibility of the European integration process needs also an as much as possible support and targeted investments for economic recovery, strengthening the resilience, political cooperation, participation in EU crisis management missions, combating misinformation, as well as measures due to ensure an enhanced cyber security,’’ the Moldovan official said.  

Bilaterally, Denmark has been an important cooperation partner of Moldova and this year, two countries mark 30 years since the establishment of the diplomatic relations. Deputy PM Nicu Popescu stressed that the Moldovan government consistently promoted the cutting of the roaming tariffs with the EU member states, for the benefit of the Moldovan citizens. He pointed out a proposal to sign, at the bilateral level, an agreement on cutting the roaming tariffs with Denmark.    

In the end, the Moldovan diplomacy head thanked for the assistance provided through the New Democracy Fund, worth 200,000 euros, for the implementation of a programme on support of the media freedom in Moldova and for counteracting the misinformation, with emphasis on the regional media from the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia, Transnistrian region, Taraclia and Balti municipality.  

Photo: MAEIE