In her first official visit to Germany as prime minister of Moldova, Maia Sandu met with Chancellor Angela Merkel. On July 16, The German Chancellor greeted the Moldovan Prime Minister with military honors in Berlin.

“I know you are personally disappointed in many politicians in Moldova and I am here today to ask you to believe in Moldova’s prospects as a functional European state,” Prime Minister Sandu said, during a press conference with the German Chancellor after the official welcoming ceremony.

In her speech, the Prime Minister also thanked Germany for the support it offered the Republic of Moldova in the past, noting that the country is committed to pursuing a European path.

“I am honored by the invitation to meet one of the most respected leaders in the European Union, a woman who has guided Germany and Europe through turbulent times with courage and skill. […] Your support has never been about interests. […] Unfortunately, previous governments in Moldova were more interested in personal gain rather than in building functional institutions,” Sandu said.

The Prime Minister of Moldova pointed out that the new government faces the difficult task of fighting corruption and reforming state institutions. And that this is meant to be a lasting transformation: “No state in transition can achieve these goals quickly, but what’s important is the direction that we took and the reasons that guide us.”

Prime Minister Sandu also said that in the process of reforming the system, competent and independent people will take up key positions within the state. And these people will not receive orders from politicians.

“We will no longer just say that we are Europeans, we want to change Moldova from within, so that we could be accepted in the E.U. as a confident member with functional democratic institutions. More than ever, we count on your support for Moldova’s transformation into a successful European state,“ Prime Minister Sandu concluded.

In turn, the Chancellor said that Germany is delighted that pro-European forces are running Moldova and that relations between the two countries have been good so far, and will continue to be based on mutual support.

“We know that it is not easy to change a system where corruption was imminent,” Merkel concluded.

According to Moldova’s Ambassador to Berlin, Oleg Serebrian, Prime Minister Sandu’s agenda during her visit to Berlin includes several high-level meetings. The Prime Minister will meet with the President of the Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, and the Minister for European Affairs, Michael Roth. At the same time, according to the ambassador, she will also visit the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, an independent German political party foundation.

Following her visits to Bucharest, Kyiv and Brussels earlier this month, this is Maia Sandu’s fourth visit abroad as prime minister of Moldova.

Foto: lrt.lt 

Diana Gațcan, gatcan.diana@gmail.com