Maia Sandu’s visit, held on Tuesday, November 23, in Bucharest, at the invitation of President Klaus Iohannis, took place in the context of celebrating 30 years since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between Romania and Moldova.

President Maia Sandu was received on Tuesday, November 23, by President Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni Palace, during the first official visit to Romania after the victory in the presidential elections of November 15, 2020. “We count on Romania’s voice in the EU, for that European integration is the main goal,” said Maia Sandu in the joint press statements made by the two heads of state. In his turn, President Iohannis stated that Romania remains the main friend and lawyer of the case of Moldova at the European level. The collaboration between the two states in the field of energy and security at the Black Sea was among the important topics discussed during the meeting.

Maia Sandu and Klaus Iohannis had a tête-à-tête meeting, followed by official discussions, after which the two made joint press statements.

Klaus Iohannis

• With a new Government and a new Parliament in Chișinău, our joint efforts for reform, democratic consolidation and results for the benefit of the citizens of Moldova will indeed be substantial. Government and parliamentary co-operation has revived.
• We have proven that we can work together effectively, giving each other support in difficult situations. I would like to thank the President, the authorities and the doctors from Moldova for the valuable help they have recently offered us, in the difficult moments generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, teams of doctors and nurses Moldova came to Romania to fight in the front line with their colleagues from Romania. The effort and dedication of the medical staff from Moldova helped save lives. We will not forget this gesture.
• In today's talks with President Sandu, we emphasized, once again, that Moldova enjoys overwhelming, lasting and cross-party support in Bucharest.
• Romania and Moldova are united by an extremely strong connection - the community of language, culture and history.
• Romania will continue to be Moldova's closest friend.
• We have always honored the commitments made for the direct benefit of the citizens and we have made consistent efforts to keep Moldova a priority on the EU agenda, as well as in relation to other important partners, such as the United States.
• We discussed the European agenda of Moldova.
• In view of the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in December, we want it to result in a strong commitment to the most ambitious and advanced Eastern Partners in implementing reforms.
• The issue of regional security was also on the agenda of today's talks.
• We are concerned about the security climate in the Black Sea.
• Regarding the Transnistrian case, we reiterated our well-known position: Romania supports a comprehensive, peaceful and lasting settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova, within its internationally recognized borders and without affecting its pro-European future.
• Romania has shown that it always stays close to Moldova.

Maia Sandu

• You were the first head of state to honor us with his presence in Chișinău, immediately after the presidential election. We announced then, in a joint statement, that after a long period cold relations, Chișinău and Bucharest are returning to a natural relationship.
• In 2021, Moldova has always felt Romania's suport, which has helped us to get through crises more easily, but also to start building a better future.
• With over 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine offered free of charge, Romania is the largest vaccine donor for us, and to them are added millions of units of protective equipment.
• The Romanian Government came to our aid in the midst of the energy crisis and we thank you.
• An important aspect, on which the future of Moldova depends, is energy security. In this context, we welcome the completion of the Iași-Ungheni-Chișinău gas pipeline. From October 1, it became operational and proved its usefulness in the October energy crisis.
• The next priority on our common agenda is the interconnection of electricity systems - a strategic project for Moldova. For the Isaccea-Vulcănești-Chișinău line, the works will start very soon.
• We remain interested in the realization of the interconnection project for the Suceava-Bălți power lines.
• We also support the entry of Romanian electricity companies on the Moldovan market, which will stimulate competition in a market still dominated by monopolies.
• We really want this partnership to grow.
• From now on, we count on Romania's support on a bilateral level, but also on its important voice within the EU.
• European integration is a major goal of Moldova, which we can achieve with the support of our friends in Bucharest.


Source: hotnews.ro