Expert comments on stakes of Moldovan PM's first visit to Bucharest

Prime Minister Vasile Tofan’s first foreign visit to Bucharest is a statement about the hierarchy of priorities of the new government: Romania stays Moldova’s main strategic partner. The Prut is no longer just a border. It is becoming a shared axis of transport, energy, capital and European integration. Expert Daniel Voda has expressed opinions to this effect. According to him, the meeting between Vasile Tofan and Ilie Bolojan shows that the special relationship between the two states is entering a more mature stage.

Daniel Voda stressed that, for decades, the relationship between Chisinau and Bucharest had been described mainly through history, the Romanian language, and solidarity, and that now a very concrete dimension is being added to all this, well captured by the metaphor used in the press statements: “the bridges of flowers must be transformed into bridges of stone, of capital and of energy.”

This paradigm shift is illustrated by the many joint infrastructure and energy projects carried out by the two countries. In transport, they include the new bridge at Ungheni, the connection to the A8 highway and the reopening of the Falciu–Cantemir railway link, which brings Moldova closer to the European network. In energy, examples include the Vulcanesti–Chisinau, Balti–Suceava, and Straseni–Gutinas power lines, which “provide more routes, more security, and fewer opportunities for external blackmail.”

“European integration is not built only at the negotiating tables in Brussels. It is also built on the construction sites on both banks of the Prut,” Daniel Voda said in an editorial signed in his capacity as an associate expert in foreign policy and strategic communication at the Institute for European Policies and Reforms.

According to him, the second key area is the economy. Romania is already the main market for Moldovan products and trade has exceeded three billion euros. The expert believes the next step must be more ambitious: not to limit ourselves to buying and selling to each other, but to produce together.

At the same time, for Romanian investors, Moldova is not just a neighboring market of a few million consumers, but an economy preparing to enter the EU single market and the companies that come now can become pioneers of this transformation, Daniel Voda says.

The third dimension highlighted by Daniel Voda is accession to the European Union.

“Romania stays Moldova’s strongest advocate in Brussels, as well as its main source of practical experience. The goals for 2028 and 2030 are ambitious. They are not calendar guarantees, but they impose discipline, prioritization and the measurement of progress,” the expert said.

In his opinion, during today’s visit to Bucharest, Ilie Bolojan provided the guarantee of continued Romanian support, while Vasile Tofan brought the language of investment and results.

“This is, in fact, the maturation of the special relationship: Romania offers access, experience and European backing, while Moldova provides economic opportunities and greater security at the eastern border of Europe. The Prut is no longer just a border. It is becoming a shared axis of transport, energy, capital and European integration. Still, for the hundreds of thousands of families who cross the border by road, the governments of Chisinau and Bucharest that will make the border queues disappear will go down in history,” Daniel Voda underlined.

Another aspect highlighted by Daniel Voda is that the two governments expressed the same security assessment: the threat comes from the war launched by Russia, and Ukraine’s ability to defend itself protects the entire region.

“The solidarity of Chisinau with Romania shows that Moldova is not just a security beneficiary, but also a partner,” Daniel Voda concluded.

Prime Minister Vasile Tofan today paid a visit to Romania, this being his first foreign visit since taking office. In Bucharest, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan held talks with his counterpart Ilie Bolojan, with President of Romania Nicusor Dan and with the leadership of the parliament.

During joint statements with Ilie Bolojan, the Bucharest official stressed that Romania’s support for Moldova remains firm and that the joint projects carried out by the authorities of the two states are meant to improve citizens’ lives, encourage economic development, investment, and bilateral trade and bring Moldova closer to the European Union.

For his part, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan noted that, for Moldova, Romania is the main strategic partner and that the relationship between the two countries works not only through long-term projects, but also through the ability to respond quickly when difficult situations arise. We have a shared history, a common language and a fraternal closeness strengthened over time, but we also share a goal we are striving for: to take Moldova where it belongs, into the European Union, the official said.