Moldova is in favor of expanding economic relations with Finland and increasing trade volumes with it - Mihail Popșoi
The Minister of Foreign Affairs stated this during a meeting with Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen, who is on an official visit to Moldova as the current Chairperson of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). He noted that Moldova is committed to resolving the Transnistrian conflict peacefully, through political dialogue, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, within its internationally recognized borders. "All our efforts are aimed at maintaining a calm and peaceful situation on both banks of the Dniester and resolving humanitarian problems for the entire population of the country, regardless of the region," he said. The importance of international cooperation in the face of security and regional development issues was emphasized at the meeting. The role of the OSCE in strengthening the resilience and stability of Moldova, as well as in supporting the country's European path, was emphasized during the discussions. Regional security and the consequences of the war in Ukraine were other topics of great interest. Mihail Popșoi stressed Moldova’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, noting that “a just and stable peace is essential for the security and stability of the wider Black Sea region.” A special topic was the energy crisis caused by Gazprom’s suspension of natural gas supplies to the left bank of the Dniester, with an emphasis on finding sustainable solutions to overcome this problem. “The energy crisis in Moldova is yet another example of Russia’s attempt to sow chaos and destruction in its neighboring countries. Moldova and its citizens have demonstrated remarkable resilience in this difficult situation,” said Elina Valtonen. During a joint press conference, she presented the priorities of Finland’s mandate in the OSCE, focusing on promoting human rights, democracy, freedom of the press and respect for the principles of the Helsinki Declaration, especially in the anniversary year marking the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Helsinki Final Act. “As the current OSCE Chairman-in-Office, I want to convey with this early visit that Moldova is important to Finland and the OSCE. For Finland, it is of utmost importance that the OSCE brings added value. In Moldova, we have a clear mandate, as I, as the Chairperson-in-Office, am committed to advancing the Transnistrian settlement process,” Elina Valtonen stressed. The officials also underlined the good and constructive bilateral relations between Moldova and Finland. Mihail Popșoi stressed the importance of intensifying cooperation in areas of mutual interest. “In the context of the launch of EU accession negotiations, we are confident that we will see increasingly active cooperation, both bilaterally and multilaterally, with an emphasis on strengthening the bilateral legal framework, intensifying economic relations and increasing trade between our countries,” the Moldovan Foreign Minister said. The discussions reaffirmed the joint commitment of Moldova and Finland to promote security, stability and sustainable development, both at the regional level and on the entire European continent.// 09.01.2025 – InfoMarket
