Moldovan president says Reinhard Mohn Prize to be invested in development of her native visit

President Maia Sandu paid a working visit to Falesti district on July 18. During the visit, the head of state discussed with mayors and district authorities, visited a local business and met citizens from more settlements.

In her dialogue with mayors and representatives of local authorities, President Sandu emphasized the importance of investments in the development of the country’s regions. Through the European Village programme alone, over 150 million lei has been invested in Falesti district over the last four years. Thus, new water supply networks were built in the localities of Calugar, Rautel and Egorovca; the public lighting system was expanded in Izvoare and Pirlita; and kindergartens were renovated and equipped in Chetris and Marandeni.

The problem of drinking water is a challenge for the district center. In this regard, the head of state mentioned: "Presently, work is underway to complete an aqueduct that was started decades ago, but never finished - a 60 million lei project that will bring water from the Prut River to the city of Falesti."

The medical system in Falesti benefited, over the last two years, from investments worth over 16 million lei, including for the capital repair of the Anaesthesia and Intensive Therapy department. Also, through the Pharmacy in Your Village programme, pharmacies have been opened in Bocani, Pruteni, Izvoare and Taxobeni.

With the support of European partners, another strategic project was completed – the rehabilitation of an important segment of the Balti–Falesti–Sculeni road, worth 45 million euros.

In Navirnet village, the Moldovan president visited a cattle farm run by entrepreneur Marin Bitiu. "I saw high-performance equipment that allows him to streamline the entire activity - investments made including with the support of the World Bank and the state, worth 14 million lei, provided as a grant," highlighted the head of state.

At the end of the visit, President Maia Sandu met residents from Scumpia and Risipeni. In Risipeni, people welcomed the ongoing work to expand the potable water network - a project worth almost 9 million lei funded through the European Village programme. At the same time, the community centre from Scumpia is under renovation, and the road to the local gymnasium will be rehabilitated with the help of the Europe is Near programme.

Also in Risipeni, President Maia Sandu discussed with residents how the 1.9 million lei from the Reinhard Mohn Prize, awarded to the head of state in February 2024 by the Bertelsmann Foundation, will be invested. The president donated the entire prize to her native village. Together with the commune's mayor and the citizens present, a decision was taken to allocate the funds for three projects: the construction of a photovoltaic plant, modernization of the village gymnasium's kitchen and repair of the church roof.