Romania to co-host international conference in support of Moldova

Romania plans to co-host, alongside Germany and France, a conference in support of the Republic of Moldova, foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu announced. It aims “to create a ‘Moldova Support Platform’ and to stimulate more support for this country.”

#FAC today on support to RM: I presented together w/@ABaerbock & @JY_LeDrian t/project of t/April 5 Berlin Conference which DE, FR & RO🇷🇴 will co-host,aimed at creating "Moldova Support Platform" to boost EU&international support,incl by donor countries &IFIs,for🇲🇩. @nicupopescu pic.twitter.com/tWdPRhulhS — Bogdan Aurescu (@BogdanAurescu) March 21, 2022

Speaking before the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting on March 21, Aurescu outlined again Romania’s support for the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, as well as for that of Ukraine and Georgia.

“Romania supports the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union, not only the accession of Ukraine and Georgia. All three countries deserve the membership in the European family and this is not just a circumstantial request by, for instance, the Republic of Moldova. The leadership in Chișinău is very much committed towards the reform processes, to the democratic reform processes and to the European path,” he said.

Referencing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, the minister also said it was important to help Moldova more.

“We have also created green lanes in order to take Ukrainian refugees from the border of the Republic of Moldova with Ukraine directly into the Romanian territory, in order to ease the effort of the authorities of the Republic of Moldova, who are very much overwhelmed by the number of refugees,” he explained.

“At the same time, it’s very important to see how we can help more the Republic of Moldova. We have organized a hub in the northern part of Romania in order to collect and transfer humanitarian assistance, not only to Ukraine, but also to the Republic of Moldova. We have sent in-kind assistance to the Republic of Moldova. As I mentioned, we are taking refugees, but it is important that more effort is done by the EU and by the EU member states in order to provide financial assistance and to take in some numbers of refugees from the Republic of Moldova into the European Union’s member states.”