Romanian PM says Romania must be Moldova's bridge towards European Union

Chisinau, 4 October /MOLDPRES/ - Romania helps Moldova continuously and unconditionally. This is also a feeling of pride that we have got to know each other so good, to be so involved and I sincerely want to congratulate you on what you do in Moldova. Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu today made statements to this effect following a meeting with his Moldovan counterpart Dorin Recean.   

„I know the challenges which Romania has; I know the challenges which the entire Europe has equally well as you. We make no abstraction of the international context and of the current security crises in Europe and the Middle East, or the greatest challenges are in the economic sphere. Moreover, both Romania and Moldova are in electoral year and I congratulate you, Mr. prime minister, along with the entire governmental team, on the fact that you have remained, no matter the political costs and discussions on the electoral period, firmly on the European way of Moldova. I strongly believe that this European road will lead, in fact, to the well-being of the citizens from Moldova. Just as you said – there is more than a formal relation between Romania and Moldova,’’ Marcel Ciolacu noted.      

The PM of Romania stressed that ‘’he does not believe in the smaller and older brother. We are brothers and we have a single goal together at present. The principal goal is Moldova’s integration into the European Union.’’   

„We have what to compare; 20 billion euros is invested from European money in Romania this year; we have programme on afforestation and Romania benefits from a grant of 500 million euros for forests alone; in Romania, we have got to a an average salary of 1,100 euros; we have an average pension of 550 euros, etc. This means the integration into the European Union, towards which Moldova also moves. We cannot speak about Moldova but inside the European Union,’’ Ciolacu said.  

In the context, the prime minister of Romania said that ‘’Russia is no guarantee for Moldova. Russia will bring Moldova to the area of isolation, to the area of poverty, will bring neither security nor development.’’     

„We have a lot of investments in Moldova and we must already anticipate which will be the next steps of interconnection with Moldova. Moldova must have a direct connection on European railway gauge between Chisinau and Iasi. I think that we everybody realize that the period of bridges of flowers is over and we will be much more involved to develop the two countries, being sure that we will come up also with other investments on the next period. We have interconnection in the energy area, so that Moldova should be as stable as possible in this area and should not have political constraints from other states,’’ the Romanian PM said.   

„I do not want a full connection of Moldova with Romania and Moldova should not have other way but through Romania, On the contrary, Romania must be the bridge of Moldova towards the European Union. We are neighbour states; we have the same challenges – both with the drought and the emotion of war, but we afforded to overcome the same challenges easier, because we enjoyed the support of the European Union. Romania will be with Moldova till you have an integration; we will be with you for you to overcome all these challenges. We should tell the people, so that they clearly understand that this extended hybrid war against Moldova is a misinformation concerning the future of Moldova, which is in the European Union and not in dependence on Russia. The security of Moldova is in the European Union and not in dependence on Russia. This is a truth which nobody will stop me to tell,’’ the prime minister of Romania also said.     

Marcel Ciolacu today pays an official visit to Moldova. Following the meeting with his Moldovan counterpart, Dorin Recea, the two PMs participated in a ceremony on the delivery of school mini-buses donated to Moldova by the Romanian state.

Also, Marcel Ciolacu will have meetings with President Maia Sandu and Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu. On visit to Chisinau, the Romanian PM will visit the Metropolitan See of Bessarabia, where he will have a meeting with Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia.