Moldova, France sign cooperation programme

Chisinau, 22 November /MOLDPRES/ - The Bureau for European Integration (BIE) of Moldova’s government and the General Secretariat for European Affairs of the government of France today signed a cooperation programme. The document will allow consolidating the institutional capacities and improving the competences of the public sector employees.   

Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov and Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France Benjamin Haddad signed the programme in Chisinau. The officials gave a news conference following the document’s signing.

Deputy PM Cristina Gherasimov thanked France for the support provided within more important projects in strategic cooperation fields. ‘’France is one of the most reliable friends of our country. France helps us recover the assets stolen by fugitive oligarchs. The projects backed regard also the energy sector, the railway infrastructure, the increase in the areas of forests, education, the country’s modernization and the deep transformation of the society. We have an excellent cooperation in the security and defence field. Thank you for this support in the security and defence sector. Thank you for this support, which maters very much for us,’’ Cristina Gherasimov said.     

Also, the official noted that ‘’the advanced stage in which Moldova is at present in the process of accession to EU is due including to France, the confidence and openness which we enjoyed on behalf of the country and its leaders, especially President Emmanuel Macron.’’

„The document signed today is an important step which will help us consolidate the institutional capacities, especially now, when we are in full process of bilateral screening and we prepare for starting the negotiations on accession. We hope that this will be accomplished in the beginning of the next year, if the member states consider that we are ready for this. France gives us chance to take over the best practices. We can benefit from the support of French experts also to hold trainings and programmes on professionalization for the public sector employees. This cooperation will allow us enhancing the efficiency of the institutions and enhance the level of professionalism of the employees in the process of accession to EU,’’ Cristina Gherasimov stressed.      

Also, the deputy PM thanked for the openness and experience provided to Moldova by France. ‘’The strong commitment and the solidarity of France, as well as the support of our country’s European integration way has been recently seen, when Moldova was target of the misinformation and the fake news about EU, spread in the context of the presidential elections and the referendum. The quick reaction of the French authorities to these challenges helped us be stronger to the hybrid threats which we face. We are determined to work even more, in order to bring Moldova to the European Union,’’ Christina Gherasimov stressed.   

For his part, Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France Benjamin Haddad said that, in the last weeks, Moldova had proved the solidarity of its democratic institutions through the organization of the elections efficiently, freely and transparently.  

„Following the elections, the people of Moldova clearly confirmed its aspirations for a democratic, free country and EU member. The country’s commitment for democracy and the European integration way is outstanding. The elections took place in a time when the country was target of attacks with interferences from abroad of an unprecedented scope. These attacks orchestrated by Russia attempted not only to undermine the good work of the democracy, but also the fundamental values, the peace, freedom and stability,’’ Benjamin Haddad said.    

The official noted that France would continue the commitment in the fight against the manipulation of information and the interference from abroad, which try to break the societies and undermine the confidence in the European institutions.  

„We express our firm support for the Moldovan democracy. This fight represents a considerable challenge for the democratic societies. We will continue to work together. We will continue the activity started through sharing of experience and consolidation of cooperation. We reaffirmed the commitment of France to back Moldova in this fight. We want to enhance the resilience of the institutions. We proposed that the country to is able to benefit from training at the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre. The interference from abroad is a common threat, which we must combat through regulation and control instruments. Also, we today discussed also the next stages in the European integration process. Thus, we welcome the quite positive evaluation made by the European Commission in its last report on the progress made by Moldova, which will allow it advancing in the negotiations on accession to EU,’’ Benjamin Haddad also said.         

Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France Benjamin Haddad today pays an official visit to Moldova, at an invitation by Deputy PM for European Integration Cristina Gherasimov. The French official had meetings also with President Maia Sandu and Prime Minister Dorin Recean. The discussions were focused on boosting the cooperation with France and the country’s constant support for Moldova’s European integration process.