Parliament speaker pays visit to southern Moldova

Chisinau, 13 October /MOLDPRES/ - Over 80 million has been invested through the European Village and Express European Village programmes in the southern Cahul district in the last three years and another 241 million lei was invested through seven regional programmes. For the 2024-2025 years, the residents of Cahul will benefit from even larger investments – over 120 million lei for another 26 projects. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu made statements to this affect at a visit to the Cahul district on 12 October.      
The speaker discussed with residents of the southern Moldova, mayors and local councilors, the directors of the public institutions the local and regional projects on settlements’ development.  
„We agreed that we must work in continuation in team, in order to enhance the well-being in each village. These are projects which people have been expecting for decades, and being part of the European family, we will be able to ensure the welfare of our people with a higher speed,’’ Igor Grosu said.    
„I was happy that, since the last discussion half a year ago, some problems signaled at that time are under settlement, such as the rehabilitation of the national road M3 Chisinau – Comrat – Giurgiulesti – border with Romania or R34 Hancesti-Leova-Cahul-Giurgiulesti. Also, the villages from the Prut river meadow are in full process of afforestation; trees were planted on an area of 200 hectares,’’ the parliament speaker stressed.       
Igor Grosu also visited the Cahul district hospital, where a new anesthesia and intensive therapy section was inaugurated. Thus, the residents of the districts of Cahul, Cantemir, Taraclia and Vulcanesti will have better chance to save their lives. ‘’We will continue to invest in the health sector, as each life matters and each citizen has right to quality medical services,’’ the speaker said.    
Attending the discussions, the mayor of the Cahul city, Nicolae Dandis, said that, at present, the Cahul city benefited from the biggest European assistance in Moldova. ‘’I reaffirmed the clear support for the vector of Moldova’s European integration, as the Cahul municipality is the settlement with the biggest European assistance in the country as related to the number of residents,’’ Dandis said.      
The mayor asked for support for the Salted Lake project, the finishing of the new headquarters of the B.P. Hasdeu Theatre. Dandis asked for the state’s intervention in the situation of the Cahul Airport as strategic infrastructure object and for starting the works of construction of the Cahul regional hospital.  
Igor Grosu also discussed with the residents of the Rosu and Giurgiulesti villages. The speaker talked to them about the European future of Moldova and that time was ripe to bring Europe home. ‘’I saw good, optimistic people here too, who will give a helping hand, so that on 20 October, we go to vote in an as large number as possible and vote YES at the referendum. This is the project of our generation and we have no right to make mistakes. On 20 October, we ask for two ballot papers: YES at the referendum and for Maia Sandu as president,’’ Igor Grosu said.   
The Cahul district is placed in the southern region of Moldova on the left bank of the Prut river; it has 55 settlements and 124,600 residents. The district has direct connection with the European Union through Romania. The connection is ensured through two customs posts: Cahul-Oancea and Giurgiulesti-Galati.