Moldova and Bulgaria will strengthen trade and economic cooperation and develop relations in the field of investment, energy, tourism and other areas.
These are the results of the 9th meeting of the Moldovan-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation held in Chisinau. As a result of the meeting, agreements were signed on opening a branch of a Bulgarian university in Taraclia and mutually attracting investments. Also, the co-chairs of the commission - Energy Minister Viсtor Parliсov and Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry of Bulgaria Irina Shtonova - signed the protocol. Representatives of Bulgaria and Moldova confirmed their interest in strengthening bilateral relations, including in the energy sector, with an emphasis on the natural gas, petroleum products and electricity sectors. The parties exchanged information on priorities in the energy sector and discussed ways to enhance cooperation between government agencies and companies from various sectors. During the press conference, Victor Parlicov noted that the current meeting of the intergovernmental commission of the two countries took place after a long break, despite the fact that the countries have a fairly dense agenda on various issues, including in the context of Moldova’s European integration. At the same time, Bulgaria is the only EU country with which Moldova has not yet concluded a cooperation and development agreement. Taking into account the implementation of the goals of the European Green Pact and the effective integration of the energy market of Moldova with the EU market, the parties agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources, the development of electrical networks, their modernization and digitalization. Herewith, issues of cooperation between the Agency for Sustainable Energy Development (Bulgaria) and the National Center for Sustainable Energy of Moldova were also discussed. Victor Parlicov also noted that cooperation between Moldova and Bulgaria should contribute to the development of a positive agenda and a positive perception of the EU among Bulgarians in Moldova. He expressed hope that the agreements reached at the political and diplomatic level will contribute to the development of entrepreneurs in the two countries, attracting investments and implementing joint projects in various fields. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Moldovan exports to Bulgaria in 2023, compared to the previous year, decreased by 39.4% - to $86.1 million, and imports from Bulgaria decreased by 0.4% - $146.9 million. As a result, the negative balance of trade between Moldova and Bulgaria over the year increased by 11.3 times - to $60.8 million. Bulgaria ranks 11th among Moldova’s trading partners with a share of 1.8% of total foreign trade. There are 176 enterprises with Bulgarian capital operating in Moldova, the total investment volume is 118.5 million lei.// 26.03.2024 — InfoMarket.
