Moldova, Ireland to boost interparliamentary dialogue

Chisinau, March 1. /MOLDPRES/- Speaker Igor Grosu had meetings with his Irish counterparts, Seán Ó Fearghail, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Ireland and Jerry Buttimer, Chairperson of the Senate, the parliament's communication and public relations department has reported.

Igor Grosu thanked the officials that the Irish Parliament was the first legislature of an EU country to ask its government to support granting the status of a candidate country for accession to the European Union for the Republic of Moldova.

The officials agreed to boost the inter-parliamentary dialogue. Grosu said that the Republic of Moldova is interested in expertise and good practices at the legislative level. "European integration is our country project and we need the support of all states in this process, and Ireland is an ally we can count on. With certainty, the Republic of Moldova enjoys the support of its development partners", he said. He assured that the Parliament together with the Government are firmly committed to continuing the reform process and carrying out the EU accession agenda.

They also discussed the intention to approve several agreements for the benefit of citizens as soon as possible. Among them are the recognition and conversion of driving licenses and educational diplomas, the promotion and mutual protection of investments, cooperation in tourism and cultural cooperation. In the context, the speaker conveyed another grievance of our citizens in Ireland to start a dialogue on the abolition of the visa regime for our citizens who want to travel to this country.

The parliamentary delegation visiting Ireland had discussions with a group of Irish parliamentarians of the parliamentary friendship group Ireland - Republic of Moldova, led by Senator Gerry Horkan. The MPs agreed to use the collaboration on the friendship groups: a priority of the parliament is the promotion of parliamentary diplomacy and the exchange of experience within the specialized commissions.

This week the Irish Parliament is hosting an exhibition of our folk costumes. They are the same works that were exhibited in the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova in the context of the joint official visit of the speakers from the Baltic and Nordic States (NB8). Thanks to the efforts of the team from the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Ireland, the folk costumes will be exhibited for a month in several important locations in Ireland.

Photo: Parliament