President thanked diaspora for support in transformation of Moldova into European state

Chisinau, August 19 /MOLDPRES/-President Maia Sandu thanked the diaspora for the support offered in the process of transforming the Republic of Moldova into a European state and assured that the authorities in Chisinau will make every effort to increase the level of protection of citizens abroad. The statement was made today during the event dedicated to Diaspora Days 2022, which takes place between August 19 and 20, in Chisinau.

During the event, Maia Sandu thanked the diaspora citizens for not forgetting the Republic of Moldova and actively getting involved in the country's development. "This year of government has been full of challenges, it is about the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis and the outbreak of war in Ukraine. These events put pressure on the country's budgetary resources. Thus, the vulnerabilities of the Republic of Moldova were highlighted and we know that we have a lot to do to stabilize it. We started cleaning up the legal institutions, we restored and strengthened relations with European partners, and later we received the status of a candidate country for EU accession, a fact that puts us on a clear trajectory of European development", said Maia Sandu.

The official presented the actions taken by the Parliament and the Government to support citizens from the diaspora. "It is about the signing of several bilateral agreements on social security in order to benefit from pensions, the recognition of diplomas, the facilitation of obtaining driving licenses, the avoidance of double taxation, the reduction of consular fees, the digitization of public services, the implementation of the document delivery service, the elimination taxes for bringing into the country the goods of citizens who have decided to return home. Next, we want to involve the diaspora citizens in the activities in our country, using your knowledge and contacts we can change the situation for the better. We want to reunite the families of this country, that's why we expect you to return home to be with your loved ones", said Maia Sandu.

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, specified that the authorities are making every effort to make diplomatic services accessible to citizens from the diaspora. "We want you to be able to benefit from multiple services in the country where you are. The Republic of Moldova is in a process of transformation and I am sure that we will move forward. Each one of you is an ambassador of our country, who helps us become a European country, with European institutions", noted Nicu Popescu.

The Diaspora Days are traditionally held in the third week of August, in Chisinau. Ambassadors of foreign countries participate in the organized events and current topics for Moldovans in the diaspora are discussed.

In 2020, over 700 thousand Moldovans were abroad, more than half of them were in European countries.

Photo: brd.gov.md