VIDEO // Over 300 companies from Moldova take part in Local Product 2026 exhibition; Moldovan MP says government to be ally of entrepreneurs who have courage to produce at home

Over 300 companies from Moldova are presenting their products and services at the second edition of the national exhibition, Local Product, inaugurated at the Moldexpo International Exhibition Center today. The event, organized under the aegis of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), aims to promote local producers, encourage the consumption of domestic products and create new opportunities for the development and expansion of Moldovan businesses on foreign markets.

This year’s edition has a special significance, as it is organized in the context of the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of Moldova’s Independence and 101 years since the first exhibition organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In addition, two ministers who were sworn in today morning took part in the opening of the Local Product exhibition at Moldexpo, alongside Prime Minister Vasile Tofan: Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Claudiu Nasui and Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Eugeniu Osmochescu.

At the opening, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan conveyed a clear message to the business community: the state must create the necessary conditions for entrepreneurs to be able to work, invest and develop businesses in Moldova.

“The role of the state is not to replace entrepreneurs, but to create conditions in which they can develop businesses, invest, and produce more easily. Economic success belongs to entrepreneurs – thanks to your work, thanks to the hard work you put in day after day. Our role, as a state, is to make sure that you can do this as simply as possible. I want you to know that we, as a government, will always be the allies, the ambassadors of the entrepreneurs who have the courage and who are trying to produce here, at home,” the prime minister said.

Vasile Tofan urged the business environment to insist on the need to reduce bureaucracy and to simplify the relationship between entrepreneurs and state institutions.

According to the PM, the development of the domestic economy involves not only supporting existing producers, but also creating conditions for new investments and for the expansion of Moldovan companies on foreign markets.

For his part, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, Claudiu Nasui emphasized the need to reduce the administrative burden on the business environment.

According to the minister, a competitive economy cannot be built through an ever‑growing number of rules and procedures, but through a framework in which entrepreneurs have the freedom and predictability they need to invest and develop.

Nasui stressed that cutting excessive regulations must become one of the key directions for attracting private investment and strengthening the national economy.

The message conveyed by the economy minister comes as the government has set out to reduce bureaucracy and simplify interaction between companies and public institutions, so that entrepreneurs’ resources are directed more toward business development than toward fulfilling administrative procedures.

At the same time, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Eugeniu Osmochescu highlighted the important role of agriculture for the economy and society of Moldova.

In the minister’s opinion, European integration means for agricultural producers both access to a much larger market and compliance with strict requirements regarding the quality, safety and competitiveness of their products.

Osmochescu underlined that alignment with European Union standards should be seen not only as an obligation, but also as an opportunity for Moldovan producers to expand their businesses and reach new markets.

CCI President Sergiu Harea emphasized that the exhibition represented a platform through which Moldovan producers can showcase their products and build new partnerships.

“This event is occasioned by two major milestones: 35 years since the declaration of independence of our country and 101 years since the first exhibition organized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Under the slogan ‘Moldova grows, we consume Moldovan products’, we support local companies and producers together,” Sergiu Harea said.

The European dimension of the exhibition was highlighted by Aigars Rostovskis, Vice President of Eurochambres and President of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce, who referred to his country’s experience after joining the European Union.

“European integration has brought Latvia new opportunities, investments and access to a huge market. Being part of the European Union means that we are stronger and safer together. Moldova’s progress is real and this exhibition shows the country’s ability to create and to connect local products with European opportunities,” Aigars Rostovskis said.

Local Product 2026 brings together companies from a wide range of fields, from the food industry and agriculture to services, manufacturing, and digital innovation. The exhibition aims to facilitate contacts between entrepreneurs, authorities and international partners, and to create new opportunities for cooperation and export.

Moldexpo Director General Zinaida Popa noted that the event turns the exhibition space into an important platform for the business community.

In addition to its economic component, visitors will enjoy a cultural and entertainment programme. The festive atmosphere is provided by the “Porumbița” brass band of the Ialoveni District Council, conducted by maestro Grigore Vîrlan.

The exhibition also includes attempts to set national records, including for the largest woven carpet and the largest pie.

The event also has a social component. The organizers are running a charitable initiative to support “Casa Valeriu”, a project dedicated to providing accommodation and psycho‑oncological support to patients diagnosed with cancer and to their families.

The national exhibition, Local Product 2026, will be open to the public for three days, offering visitors the opportunity to discover products and services created in Moldova and to see the potential of domestic companies in the context of European economic integration.