Moldovan foreign affairs minister participates in sixth Eastern Partnership Summit

Chisinau, 16 December /MOLDPRES/ - Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu, on the sidelines of the sixth Eastern Partnership Summit, has said that, during meetings with European partners, the European Union’s support was confirmed for the processes of reform needed to transform this partnership in the long run and make sure that it meets the expectations of the citizens through jobs, economic growth and social cohesion, the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry’s (MAEIE) press service has reported.        
„The success of the visit to Brussels and the participation along with President Maia Sandu in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) Summit confirmed me the fact that, to be able to be close to the European Union, Moldova needs mainly three things: to prove that we can be reliable, to generate projects and be able to implement them,’’ Deputy PM Nicu Popescu said.   
The EaP leaders adopted the Joint Declaration of the Eastern Partnership Summit, thereby reaffirming the joint commitment to support the fundamental values on the strengthening of the democracy and the rule of law state, protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms, promotion of the gender equality, promotion of the inclusive societies, by ensuring the full observance of the principles and norms of the international law, backing for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of all eastern partners within the internationally recognized borders.     
„The effort of reform consistently promoted by Moldova’s government includes also the ambition to join the strategy of digital transformation, efforts of protecting the environment and to look in the same direction,’’ Nicu Popescu noted.   
The declaration’s text includes also an initiative regarding the cutting of the roaming tariffs between EU and the partner countries, including Moldova.
 „Along with the European Union, we will explore the options of consolidation of the sectoral cooperation, including in the field of green and digital transition, energy security, justice and domestic affairs, strategic communication and health. We will make efforts for strengthening the dialogue in the security and resilience sector,’’ Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu said.      
The full declaration can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3siqMbw. 
At the same time, the sides negotiated a regional agreement between 6 partner countries - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. Presently, the internal procedures for its signing are carried out. It is worth mentioning that Moldova has already fulfilled the concerned domestic procedures.      
„I welcome also the EU’s willingness to back the efforts made by the partner countries interested, including Moldova, in order to fulfill the criteria of joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), ‘’ the Moldovan diplomacy head said.  
At the meetings, the representatives of the Associated Trio, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine, reiterated their vision to promote the irreversibility of the European integration, anchored in the European aspirations and identity of the nations of the three countries, meant to consolidate the cooperation for the European integration.     
„We stay further engaged in the strategic development of the Eastern Partnership, in accordance with the principles of the differentiation and inclusion. At the Summit, we affirmed the firm commitment to further strengthen the political association and the economic integration of the countries from the Associated Trio to the European Union, including through continuing the close cooperation to consolidate the rule of law state and advance the reforms, in order to meet the Copenhagen criteria. I reminded that, according to the Treaty on the European Union, any European states which observes the values provided for in the Article 2 and commits to promote them can ask to become a member of the European Union,’’ Nicu Popescu noted.       
The joint declaration of the Associated Trio states can be accessed here:  https://bit.ly/3yvOqT0.     
On the sidelines of the summit, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu signed, on behalf of the government, a string of documents for the implementation of projects of strategic importance for Moldova.   
The Energy Efficiency of Moldova Project implies the energy rehabilitation of the buildings with social purpose: republican and regional hospitals, schools, kindergartens and other public institutions. Thus, Moldova will benefit from the providing of loans worth 30 million euros on behalf of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as a grant worth 2.8 million euros on behalf of the Neighbourhood Investment Platform of the European Commission and the Eastern Partnership Technical Assistance Trust Fund (EPTATF).         
The carrying out of the Moldova Roads IV project will be possible due to a loan worth 150 million euros, provided by EIB, for the rehabilitation, modernization and extension of more than 150 km of priority roads all over the country, with a letter of intent to this end signed at the Summit.  
The financing agreement on the Contract for State Consolidation and Resilience for Moldova, worth 60 million euros, represents a budgetary support programme, which completes the package of the European Union on Economic Recovery worth up to 600 million euros, which is to be implemented in the next three years.   
„Big thanks to the team of the central office of the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry, the team of Moldova’s Mission at the European Union, as well as colleagues from ministries, who provided a solid agenda during this visit and who worked for the successful carrying out of the Eastern Partnership Summit,’’ Minister Nicu Popescu added.   
Photo: MAEIE