Press Release: Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visits the Republic of Moldova to invigorate relations

Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner will pay an official visit to the Republic of Moldova from 26-27 November 2009. During her stay she will have meetings with Acting President and Speaker of the Parliament Mihai Ghimpu, Prime Minister Vlad Filat, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca, as well as presidential candidate Marian Lupu and members of the opposition and with civil society representatives. Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will deliver a speech in the Parliament of Moldova and visit a children's village established by "Concordia", an organisation founded by Father Georg Sporschill.

This is the first visit by a Commissioner since the elections in July 2009 and is an important sign of the Commission's support for Moldova on its path towards political and economic stability. In her meetings Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will emphasise the need for Moldova to continue efforts for the effective implementation of economic and political reforms and to fully cooperate with the international financial institutions. The Commissioner will express the EU's intention to accelerate the development of the EU relationship with Moldova, making full use of the opportunities of the Eastern Partnership including the launch in January of negotiations for a new contractual agreement with Moldova to replace the current Partnership and Co-operation Agreement, and the promise of continued financial assistance to help the country cope with the financial and economic crisis in the country. She will equally express the EU's continuing engagement in the Transnistrian settlement efforts.

• Primary Source

European Commission: SPEECH/09/563: Address to Members of Parliament of the Republic of Moldova http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/09/563&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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