On August 27, 2021, Moldova and Romania celebrate 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. In 1991, Romania was the first state to recognize Moldova’s independence, shortly after its proclamation by the first Parliament established following free and democratic elections.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova issued a communiqué announcing that the relations between Moldova and Romania have a special character, being built both on the language, history, and culture and on the Strategic Partnership between Romania and Moldova for Moldova’s European integration concluded in 2010.

These 30 years have marked, in terms of bilateral cooperation, the initiation and development of partnerships and projects in all fields, with the wide involvement of institutions and organizations in the political, economic, social, academic, cultural, non-governmental, associative, and local communities. As the bilateral relationship matured, these projects had at their center, more and more, the common interest of advancing and consolidating Moldova’s European path.

Many of these initiatives and projects are real sites of modernization and European transformation of Moldova: building, consolidating, and reforming institutions, professionalizing public administration, launching the construction of major interconnection projects in the field of energy, closer connections developed in the economic and commercial fields, increasing wide-ranging opportunities open to the entire society of Moldova. Together, all these projects have generated and generate direct, tangible benefits for all citizens of Moldova, regardless of the village or city where they live, the profession they practice, the language they speak.

Romania supported Moldova in the efforts to conclude and subsequently implement the Association Agreement, including the free trade component, with the European Union, signed in 2014, Romania being the first EU Member State to ratify this Agreement, as well as to liberalization of the visa regime for the citizens of Moldova, an objective also achieved in 2014.

In 2020 and 2021, Romania and Moldova fought together against the COVID-19 pandemic. Doctors and nurses from Romania came to the aid of their colleagues from across the Prut. Romania has also made substantial donations of medical and protective equipment, as well as COVID-19 vaccines.

The celebration of 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations is an opportunity to look to the future with responsibility and pragmatism, to strengthen the special friendship based on common values and principles, our bilateral strategic partnership, and to support Moldova’s European path.

“In this sense, starting from the expectations of the Moldovan citizens for a prosperous life, in a democratic state, with modern public institutions and independent justice, clearly expressed by the vote in the elections of November 2020 and July 2021, Romania and Moldova will work together for the fulfillment of the fundamental objective of European integration of Moldova, the only one able to ensure the economic and social development of Moldova for the direct benefit of all its citizens,” it is also mentioned in the note.

On August 27, Moldova marks the National Holiday – Independence Day. On this day, in 1991, the Declaration of Independence of Moldova was adopted, which entered into force on the same day.