Moldovan President's message at joint news conference with Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Mr. Prime Minister,

Dear Kyriakos,

Welcome to Chisinau!

I am pleased to have you here today, during the first official visit of a Greek Prime Minister to Moldova. Your visit comes just a week after the official visit to Athens by Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu and shortly before Prime Minister Dorin Recean's working visit to Greece.

All these clearly show that we have a dynamic bilateral relationship.

Greece and Moldova are friendly countries. Our relations have deep historical roots. Over two centuries ago, Moldova played a symbolic role at the start of Greece's fight for independence.

In 1821, Greek General Alexandros Ypsilantis entered Moldova along with members of his organization, attempting to spark a revolt against the Ottoman rule.

In Chisinau itself, one of the city's oldest buildings – Mihail Katsikas' mansion – became for a while the headquarters of Ypsilantis' movement.

The ties between us have been maintained and strengthened over time.Today, our political dialogue is more solid than ever.

Since 2023, we have embassies in both capitals – in Chisinau and Athens – a clear proof of the wish to build a sustainable partnership.

The Moldovan community in Greece plays an important role in our relationship. It is a well-integrated, hardworking community, that contributes to the development of both countries. We are happy to know they benefit from the support of the Greek authorities – and we thank you for this, Mr. Prime Minister.

The agreement on social protection, signed last year, is a concrete example of support. Similarly, the recent decision to recognize Moldovan driving licenses – a measure that makes life easier for the Diaspora.

Tourism is another example of cooperation: Greece is among the top destinations preferred by Moldovans and we hope that more Greeks will discover Moldova: our wines, rustic landscapes and the hospitality of the people.

The launch of the direct Chisinau–Athens flight in 2023, with your support, was   essential for this mobility. Today, we already have five weekly flights, including to Thessaloniki and Heraklion.

Also due to our cooperation, Moldova now has access to the international gas market, including liquefied natural gas, through the floating terminal in Alexandroupolis and the pipeline connecting Greece and Bulgaria. By using the trans-Balkan pipeline in reverse flow, we can import gas from diverse sources – an important step for our energy security.

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Our political relations are excellent. Time is ripe to reflect them in concrete projects in the economy, investments and infrastructure. We agreed today that we can – and must – do more.

Greece was among the best-performing economies in the world last year – a remarkable achievement, Mr. Prime Minister, for which I congratulate you!

This success, the result of your leadership, is an inspiration for us. It strengthens our confidence that together we can build strong and lasting economic partnerships.

Moldova provides competitive opportunities in various fields. Renewable energy is one of them.

Greece's experience in this area is valuable – reforms and investments in recent years have made Greece a regional leader in green energy, with over 50 per cent of electricity coming from renewable sources.

Also, Moldova has a dynamic IT sector; we are open to investments and innovations in agriculture, we want accelerated tourism development in both directions, and we invite Greek companies to invest in tourist infrastructure – including in modern hotel complexes, in order to fully capitalize on our country's potential.

Closer economic cooperation naturally fits into our European path. We thank you for Greece's firm support for the European Union's expansion and for Moldova's accession.

Our integration is not just a national goal, but also a contribution to the security and stability of the entire continent. Moldova is already proving that it is a responsible European partner.

For two years, Moldovan firefighters have participated in Greece in fighting forest fires – and they will return this year too, with two teams of 20 people each. This is a gesture of solidarity and a clear expression of our wish to contribute to the security of European citizens.

We are already contributing to the continent's security by maintaining stability on the eastern border of the European Union, actively engaging in strengthening security in the Black Sea region and having a firm stance against threats from the East. We are present in peacekeeping missions in the Western Balkans and are committed to defending European values.

This effort is all the more important, in the context of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine.Yesterday, together with you and other regional leaders, I was in Odessa, where we reconfirmed to President Zelenskyy our support for Ukraine's legitimate fight for freedom and for the defense of peace in Europe.

Mr. Prime Minister,

I sincerely thank you for this visit and for the openness shown towards Moldova.

The bond of friendship between our countries is becoming deeper and deeper. We have much to do – and I am convinced we will achieve it together.

Thank you.