Moldovan foreign affairs minister has meeting with German diplomacy head

Chisinau, 12 March /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu has received Foreign Affairs Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock on visit. During the discussions, the Moldovan diplomacy head said that Moldova’s authorities appreciated the firm support of Germany for the humanitarian effort Moldova is making every day, since the beginning of this terrible war, which triggered the biggest humanitarian crisis in the Eastern Europe in the last decades, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.     
At the same time, Deputy PM Nicu Popescu thanked the Berlin authorities for the decision taken to relocate 2,500 Ukrainian refugees from Moldova to Germany and organizing green corridors for the safe transportation of these people.    
„This absolutely unjustified war toughly hits our economy, well-being and budget. The exports to more markets are affected, just as the imports from Ukraine and from other countries, which were transiting the territory of the neighbour country, are hit. Obviously, this regional instability undermines our capacity of attracting investments and, in this respect, the war is a tough hit made against the well-being of Moldova’s citizens,’’ Minister Nicu Popescu said.     
The Moldovan diplomacy head informed his German counterpart about the economic impact, including about the situation in the energy sector, an extremely vulnerable field. Popescu noted that the authorities coped with these challenges; yet, more risks persist. In the context, the sides agreed on strengthening the efforts on the bilateral dimension, in order to identify urgent solutions to enhance Moldova’s resilience.   
„We appreciate Germany’s support for Moldova’s European aspirations. We are determined to continue implementing the reforms, to combat corruption from the state’s institutions, to improve the business environment and attract investments in the country’s economy and to continue encouraging the development of local communities. The irreversibility of the process of Moldova’s European integration needs also more and more support and targeted investments for the economic recovery,’’ Nicu Popescu said.     
Also, the deputy PM stressed that the contribution of the German investors and the assistance for cooperation and development, from which Moldova had benefited, found expression in jobs. An example to this end represents the German companies which made major direct investments in Moldova and due to the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA), Moldova’s exports on the German market were able to be diversified.     
The Moldovan official also said the rapprochement with the European family, along with Germany, implied including the undertaking of concrete actions in relation with the Moldovan Diaspora abroad, in the European Union member states. A large number of Moldova’s citizens have lived and worked in Germany for years. In the context, the officials tackled also the subject on the signing of an agreement on cutting the roaming tariffs. They also expressed the conclusion of all formalities for simplifying the conversion of the driver’s licences.      
„Moldova and Germany will continue strengthening our privileged partnership in the direction of getting closer to the European Union; this means for us the integration into an area of Freedom, Stability and Peace,’’ the Moldovan diplomacy head added.   
Photo: MAEIE