VIDEO // Moldovan president says Italian head of state strong supporter of Moldovans, Moldova, European path

President Maia Sandu has had a meeting with her Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella. Maia Sandu said that she had found in “President Mattarella a strong supporter of Moldovans, Moldova, and our European path,” and “Italy has shown us that it trusts our future and has provided us with solid support.” 

“Moldova and Italy have become increasingly connected since, decades ago, Moldovans began to settle in Italy in search of a better life. Hardworking and courageous people, they have worked honestly, integrated into society, and earned the respect of Italian communities. When I made my first official visit to Italy in 2021, I wanted the official relations between our countries to show the closeness between our people, built over years of working together and friendship,” said Maia Sandu.

The Moldovan president emphasized that, starting from 2021 until now, Italy had allocated 90 million euros for Moldova’s development and aid in tough times—including reducing energy invoices and setting of smart meters in tens of thousands of households.

“In President Mattarella, we found a strong supporter of Moldovans, Moldova, and our European path. Italy has shown us that it trusts our future and has provided us with solid support. Starting from 2021 until now, Italy has allocated 90 million euros for Moldova’s development and aid in tough times—including reducing energy invoices and setting of smart meters in tens of thousands of households,” the Moldovan head of state noted.

Maia Sandu announced two important achievements for Moldovans in Italy. Thus, the Agreement on Social Protection, which guarantees that Moldovans who have worked in Italy will receive pensions for the years worked there, whether they choose to remain in Italy or return to Moldova, was promulgated by President Mattarella.

Moreover, the Agreement on the Conversion of Driver’s Licenses was signed today in its new edition. This allows all Moldovan driver’s licenses, including those to be issued in the future, to be recognized and exchanged in Italy, which eliminates problems encountered in recent years by Moldovan fellow countrymen in Italy.

At the same time, according to the President Sandu, Moldovan communities in Italy represent a strong link between the two countries. “Through everything they do, they show that Moldova is part of Europe—not just on the map, but also through its values and contributions,” Maia Sandu stressed.





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President Maia Sandu pays a visit to Italy on July 9-13. In Rome, the Moldovan president will participate in the Ukraine Recovery Conference, hosted by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, on the occasion of this visit, the head of state will also have a string of meetings with Moldovan citizens living in Italy.