Nicușor Dan: “We must make Moldova’s economy attractive to foreign companies”
The President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, assures that Romania will continue to support the Republic of Moldova in its EU accession process, regardless of the outcome of the September 28 elections.
In an interview with the media from the Republic of Moldova, President Dan spoke about the importance of maintaining the Republic of Moldova’s pro-European direction and Romania’s role in this process.
“Obviously, I would like the pro-European direction of the Republic of Moldova to be preserved following the elections, but I respect the citizens’ right to vote and, in this way, to decide their own future,” declared the President of Romania.
President Dan emphasized that the Republic of Moldova’s integration process into the European Union largely depends on the credibility of the Prime Minister in Chișinău, who negotiates with EU institutions.
“Romania can, on the one hand, through diplomatic formats—at the presidential level and among foreign ministers—apply pressure to continue this process when various technical issues arise,” the president said.
To support the development of the Republic of Moldova, President Dan noted that Romania can provide expertise and practical support based on its own experience.
“Romania went through the same process about 20 years ago. We have experts who have gone through all these steps, all 33 chapters of negotiations. Romania has also made mistakes, of course, and precisely from this perspective, we know how to give competent advice on how to use the funds coming from pre-accession assistance,” Nicușor Dan pointed out.
Regarding the improvement of living conditions in the Republic of Moldova, President Dan stated that “a very, very important stake is EU membership.”
At the same time, the official added that there are several other things Romania can do—it will continue working on solving Moldova’s energy problems, developing the road network, and improving connections between Moldova and Western Europe.
“We need to make Moldova’s economy attractive to foreign companies. That means easy connectivity. This also includes what may seem like a trivial issue: how long trucks stay at customs. It also means what Romania has promised for a long time—a guarantee fund for Romanian investments in the Republic of Moldova. Moldova still faces energy insecurity, which Romania is working on through gas pipelines and the energy network. We still have a few years before Moldova is fully independent. (...) Beyond that, all cultural and academic exchanges that bring us closer, I believe, are important,” concluded Nicușor Dan, President of Romania.
