The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg will join the Common European Union (EU) Visa Issuing Centre from Moldova starting 1 January 2008.

Luxembourg Deputy Premier, Foreign Affairs and immigration Minister Jean Asselborn, on a 11-12 official visit to Chisinau, made a statement to this effect at a today's news conference.

Jean Asselborn said that, within the assistance given to Moldova, experts from Luxembourg will train specialists from the Moldovan banking and financial system, as Luxembourg ranks seventh according to the banking development.

Jean Asselborn specified that Moldova is confronting with the same problems as Luxembourg immediately after the war, as both states have big neighbours. For this reason, the Moldova-EU Action Plan, which was signed, should determine Moldova's political place in Europe, with Luxembourg willing to back Moldova in this respect, the Luxembourg official said.

As to the Transnistrian issue, the Luxembourg diplomat said that the only solution to unlocking this situation is to continue the negotiations in the 5+2 format. He said the EU appointed a special representative responsible for Moldova, and all the actions taken in this respect should be brought to EU's notice.

For his part, Foreign and European Integration Andrei Stratan appreciated the importance of the political help and assistance in different important fields Luxembourg has given Moldova.

He particularly stressed Luxembourg's role of Moldova's ambassador in EU, specifying that Moldova is expecting the adoption of a decision by EU on giving possibilities to make trade with EU in preferential asymmetric regime. "We have completed the negotiations with EU institutions to sign the agreement on simplifying the visa regime and the agreement on readmission, document which we want to be enforced starting 1 January 2008." Andrei Stratan said.

"In 2008 - a new year of Moldova's political relations with EU, it will be particularly important and significant that the EU member states, including Luxembourg, assist Moldova to speed up our advancement to EU. We rely on Luxembourg's role as EU founding state, as promoter and supporter of Moldova's aspirations to EU," Andrei Stratan added.

In the context of the signing of the convention between the Moldovan and Luxembourg governments on the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of the fiscal dodging, the Moldovan deputy premier emphasized the importance of the bilateral relations within the economic cooperation. He specified that the above document gives possibility to economic agents from both countries to diversify their cooperation.

This is the first visit to Chisinau by a head of the Luxembourg diplomacy.

Moldova established diplomatic relations with Luxembourg on 16 June 1992. // Moldpres


Publication date: 12 July 2007   

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