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President Timofti hails President-elect Iohannis's decision to be in Chisinau in first visit abroad
The President of the Republic of Moldova, Nicolae Timofti on Friday hailed the decision of the President-elect of Romania, Klaus Iohannis to pay his first visit abroad to Chisinau, after the November 16 presidential runoff, a press release by the presidential Administration of the Republic of Moldova says.
Timofti said he was certain that Iohannis's presence in Chisinau in the very last day of the electoral campaign for the Sunday, November 30 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Moldova will give a boost to the pro-European options of the Moldovan voters.
In his turn, Klaus Iohannis said he is alongside the parties supporting the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the European Union.
"I'm here, in Chisinau because I care about the Republic of Moldova. The November 30 elections are crucial for the strengthening of the European road-map of the Republic of Moldova. I voice solidarity for the political forces which will keep the Republic of Moldova facing Europe," Iohannis said.
Nicolae Timofti and Klaus Iohannis have pleaded during their talk for the deepening of the special ties between the Republic of Moldova and Romania and for the citizens on the two banks of the river Prut to stay close through the political, economic and cultural contacts.
President Timofti thanked Romania for the substantial support given to the Republic of Moldova with a view to modernising its infrastructure and consolidating the Chisinau democratic bodies. The Moldovan head of state highlighted the importance of continuing works at the Iasi-Ungheni gas pipeline and other infrastructure projects capable to connect Moldova to the European energy, economic and commercial systems.
The meeting was also attended by Romania's ambassador to Moldova, Marius Lazurca, by PNL co-chairman, Vasile Blaga and the PNL deputy-chairman, Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu.
Iohannis: Romania's undeniable duty towards Rep. of Moldova - establishing common space of democracy
President-elect Klaus Iohannis said on Friday that Romania backs the Republic of Moldova's European Union membership by permanently supporting the interests of this country, adding that Romania has an "undeniable duty" towards Chisinau, specifically the establishment of a common space of democracy, stability and prosperity.
"We have a common language, a common history, a common culture, our countries share the same traditions. No other country is so important for us, Romanians, for Romania, for Romania's foreign relations, like the Republic of Moldova. Romania definitely has an undeniable duty towards the Republic of Moldova — establishing a common space of democracy, stability and prosperity for the Romanian and Moldovan citizens, and one of the main goals of Romania's foreign policy is to support in the clearest possible manner (...) the European roadmap of the Republic of Moldova," Iohannis said in Chisinau, after meeting with the Chairman of Moldova's Liberal Democratic Party (PLDM) Vlad Filat.
Iohannis said that there has been an impressive evolution in Moldova's relationship with the EU, emphasizing that a free trade area will be set in place between this country and the European Union, based on the reduction of customs duties and unrestricted access of Moldovan products to the great European market. Iohannis also stressed that Moldovan citizens no longer need a visa to travel to the Schengen area.
Romania's President-elect stressed that these are major steps in the process of Moldova's complete integration with the EU.
"I can assure you that Romania will back just as by now your accession, by permanently supporting the interests of the Republic of Moldova before the EU. The Republic of Moldova's accession is a national project of Romania and I confess that I very much want this to happen during my term as President of the country," he added.
Iohannis thanked Vlad Filat for inviting him to visit the Republic of Moldova.
"Today's visit takes place at the invitation of PLDM Chairman Vlad Filat, in the context of your [parliamentary] elections being just around the corner. I am here to express my full support for the strengthening of democracy and the Republic of Moldova's getting in line with the European standards," Iohannis said.