Moldovan foreign affairs minister says Latvia always ardent supporter of Moldova's European perspective

Chisinau, 5 January /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu has paid a working visit to Latvia, at  an invitation by his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkēvičs.  

According to the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service, the officials considered ways of strengthening the bilateral dialogue and the cooperation in the European integration sphere, as Latvia has always been an ardent supporter of Moldova’s European integration perspective. The diplomats referred to the security situation, triggered by Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine, as well as to the Moldovan-Latvian cooperation regionally.   

„At our news conference, I said that our solidarity with Ukraine remained firm. As  Moldova advances on the way of EU accession, we continue the development projects, consolidate the democratic institutions, reform the justice system, fight against corruption and generate economic opportunities. We are resolute to remain and develop as part of the free world.    

Also, bilaterally, we touched upon the turning to good account of the commercial and economic potential, agreeing, together, with the minister to re-launch the work of the Moldovan-Latvian inter-governmental commission for economic, industrial, technical and scientific cooperation and of the Moldovan-Latvian business council,’’ Minister Nicu Popescu said.  

In the last decades, about 90 projects backed by Latvia have supported Moldova’s regional development, the judicial system’s reform, strengthening of the financial system, improvement of the borders’ management, health system, support of the independent media, etc.  

Deputy PM Nicu Popescu also referred to the need to finish the negotiations and sign the agreement in the social security sector and to possibility to conclude agreements in the field of conversion of driver’s licences and cooperation between the institutions for interior affairs from the two countries.   

„In the end, we discussed also the organization, this year, of the Summit of the European Political Community, and our goal is to provide a platform, in order to consolidate the high-level dialogue on issues of the highest emergency for the European continent: security, energy and resilience of our democracies,’’ the head of the Moldovan diplomacy noted.     

During a discussion with Deputy Speaker of the Latvian parliament (Saeima), Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, attended also by the deputy head of the Saeima’s European affairs committee, Uģis Rotbergs, Deputy PM Nicu Popescu pointed out the active dialogue between the Chisinau and Riga legislative bodies, as well as the wish to develop, on this basis, a deeper cooperation between the leaderships of the two parliaments. The Latvian official reiterated the support for the advancement of Moldova’s European integration.    

At a meeting with Director of the NATO Strategic Communication Centre of Excellence Jānis Sārts, Foreign Affairs Minister Nicu Popescu discussed the development of the cooperation in the strategic communication and public diplomacy, exchange of good practices as the institutionalization of the strategic communication and counteracting the misinformation.

At an event held by the Latvian Transatlatic Organization (LATO) for members of civil society and mass media from Latvia, the Moldovan diplomacy head spoke about the attenuation of the negative consequences of the war and the fight against the hybrid threats. The officials also discussed the way of Moldova’s accession to EU, the steps due to be covered by the authorities and reforms which the leadership implements to modernize the country and join EU. 

Also, Deputy PM Nicu Popescu gave interviews with the public radio station LR1, public TV station LTV 1 and TV3 television.

The diplomatic tour by Foreign Affairs Minister Nicu Popescu has earlier included a visit to Tallinn.

Photo: MAEIE