Moldova completed clearing land for construction of new US Embassy

The Republic of Moldova has completed the stage of clearing the plot of land in the center of the capital where the new headquarters of the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova will be built. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu at the beginning of today’s Government meeting.

He noted that this is a very important project for the strategic partnership between the Republic of Moldova and the United States.

“Republic of Moldova has completed the stage of clearing the land on Tighina Street and has fulfilled all its obligations assumed for this stage of the project regarding the construction of the new headquarters of the Embassy of the United States of America, as well as of a park, with the preservation of the emblematic gates of the stadium. It is important for us to preserve the historical aspect. It is a very important project for the strategic partnership between the Republic of Moldova and the United States,” said Alexandru Munteanu.

The Prime Minister emphasized that after completing the land release stage, the procedural steps provided for in the agreement on the transfer of the land will follow, and the authorities in Chisinau are in contact with the United States Embassy and the US Government to advance this project.

At the same time, Alexandru Munteanu welcomed the nomination of a new US Ambassador to Chisinau.

The Public Property Agency (APP) managed the process in which all private assets located on the land and legally recognized were expropriated. The procedure concerned 16 assets belonging to 10 rights holders. The assets were identified based on the Real Estate Register and the documents submitted by the owners.

The total amount currently set for compensation for the expropriated assets is 96,469,722 lei, the equivalent of approximately 4.94 million euros, calculated at the NBM reference exchange rate. This amount refers strictly to constructions, installations, and other privately owned assets legally recognized and located on state-owned land. The money was deposited in a special account for the benefit of the expropriated persons. Payments are made according to the law, based on applications submitted by rights holders.

Next, the American side is to confirm the exercise of the purchase option and to pay the amount of 18 million euros for the transfer of the ownership right over the land to the Government of the United States of America. After this confirmation, the Government of the Republic of Moldova will issue the handover-takeover act and ensure the registration of the right in the Real Estate Register. These steps will allow the American side to begin developing the area.

The agreement with the Government of the United States of America on the purchase of property for the new headquarters of the diplomatic mission was ratified by the Parliament in Chisinau in the summer of 2023. According to the project, on the territory of the former Republican Stadium in the city center, located at 12 Tighina Street, the US diplomatic campus will be built, as well as a public park.

Thus, the land, with an area of about 5.2 hectares, which has been derelict for 17 years, will be revitalized, with the historical gates of the former stadium to be restored, public art installations to be arranged, and a new park to be created. The US authorities undertake to also create spaces open to the general public, and the announced investments will amount to approximately 250 million dollars.

In mid-April 2025, the Government of the United States of America made the first payment, in the amount of 3.2 million euros (approximately 62 million lei), for the compensation of the expropriated owners, in accordance with the intergovernmental agreement on the new headquarters of the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova.