Moldovan-Romanian intergovernmental commission's meeting concluded in Chisinau

Chisinau, 4 November /MOLDPRES/- The meeting of the Moldovan-Romanian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation concluded today in Chisinau by signing four important documents focused on different issues of bilateral cooperation in various sectors.

The cooperation agreement between the authorities for consumer protection from both countries, protocol between the customs authorities on boosting collaboration in preventing and combating customs frauds, as well as agreement on industrial parks are among the documents signed today.

Projects on energy and gas interconnection were in top of the agenda of talks, held by the Moldovan delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic and Romanian delegation headed by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Economy, Trade and Relations with Business Environment Costin Grigore Borc.

“A special topic was related to our cooperation at more levels, especially, as regards enforcement of the Association Agreement with EU and use of its potential by extending the trade exchanges, turning to good account opportunities, drawing investments, developing more objects of infrastructure,” Calmic said.

The official added “most important, sensitive and expensive project is the one in energy sector, issue widely discussed at the meeting”. He referred to the grant worth 550,000 euros provided for the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipe construction, “which is a strategic object”, as well as to Romania’s willingness to assume all expenses for designing energy interconnections in southern Moldova.

The officials also approached other sectors as: agriculture, consumer protection, quality infrastructure “where Moldova has the biggest constraints,” Calmic said.

The talks were followed by a dialogue between presidents and premiers of the two countries, pegging out a good quality economic relationship, Borc said. He referred to the energy projects that “are strategic projects both for Romania and Moldova”.

“Interconnection we have already started between Romania-Bulgaria-Austria which will continue with diversification into Moldova and Ukraine is essential both for Romania’s energy security and for interconnection and security in the region,” Borc also said.

The next meeting of the Moldovan-Romanian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation will take place in Bucharest in 2017.

According to data by the National Statistics Bureau for six months, Romania is the largest trade partner of Moldova with over 450 million dollars- trade exchanges. The Romanian market is the largest destination for Moldovan goods. Deliveries on this market amounted to 215.2 million dollars in the first six months. Data by the State Registration Chamber show that 1,600 enterprises with Romanian capital are registered in Moldova which represents 16 per cent of the overall companies with foreign investments in social capital.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcază)