Prime minister presents Moldova in Paris
Prime Minister Vlad Filat visited the Paris-based French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) this week, where he presented Moldova, the government's communications and press relations department has said.
Vlad Filat is on a 12-14 April visit to France. The delegation comprises Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and European Integration Minister Iurie Leanca and Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Valeriu Lazar.
IFRI founder Thierry de Montbrial has said he is happy to personally meet Vlad Filat, noting that this is an opportunity to get to know Moldova better.
"I think that the future of Moldova means the future of Europe as well," the IFRI director said at the beginning of the meeting.
Vlad Filat s presentation was focused on Moldova's history. He said that Moldova marks the 20th anniversary of its independence in 2011. The premier stressed that, on all this period, the country's history has been marked by many events, including tragic ones, such as the Transnistrian war.
"We also had attempts of reform, which were not carried through, unfortunately. Here we may also speak about the political parties' inability to carry the reforms through, which helped the Party of Communists come to power," Vlad Filat said.
The prime minister emphasized that, after the July 2009 polls, the Alliance for European Integration (AIE) came to power and the European integration was set as absolute priority.
"We also established an ambitious reform agenda that we are carrying out. As a matter of fact, the economic situation was extremely difficult when we came to power. Despite the difficult situation, the new government managed to cease the decline and ensure a 6.9-per-cent economic growth," Vlad Filat said.
The prime minister also talked about Moldova's European integration process. He said that dynamic talks on the Association Agreement have been held since early 2010. Filat also said that, on 14 March 2011, Moldova presented to the European Commission the first report on the implementation of the Commission's recommendations necessary to start negotiations on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. The prime minister voiced hope that the European Commission's mandate for initiating these talks will be approved at a meeting of the Moldova-EU Cooperation Council due on 5 May 2011.
"We should move very quickly also because the Moldovan citizens have been waiting for 20 years," Vlad Filat said.
The prime minister also spoke about the election of the Moldovan president. He expressed hope that a viable solution will be identified after the 5 June local polls.
"Nobody can deny that Moldova is a European country. Certainly, Moldova's future lies within Europe. To this end, we will continue implementing reforms, which are necessary for us, not for the European Union. We have skill and wish, as well as resolution to achieve this objective. At the same time, we need support and rely on France to this end. I am sure that we will make a success story together," Vlad Filat said at the end of his presentation.
The Transnistrian issue was a special subject of the meeting. Thierry de Montbrial said that he visited the Transnistrian region and that Europe keeps an eye on the Transnistrian issues. He noted that much will is needed to settle the conflict.
Vlad Filat said that the Transnistrian problem can be solved, stressing that the process has been fostered now to start the negotiations.
"The EU's role is very important, given that the situation in the Transnistrian region is not only a matter of Moldova's security, but also of regional security," Vlad Filat specified.
The sides also discussed the Eastern Partnership and its summit, due in Warsaw in late next September. The primer minister said that, in 2009, Moldova was set to become a champion within the Eastern Partnership and managed to do it. He added that Moldova prepares for this summit very seriously.
Moldpres
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