„Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear Mr. Prime Minister,.
It is a pleasure for me, also this way, to welcome Mr. Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Moldova. Although I understand that this visit fits into a European tour, for us, it has a symbolical meaning – of support and appreciation. We have not yet announced, but we agreed with Mr. Prime Minister six months ago that he would pay an official visit to Chisinau in March. I am glad that this visit does not replace the visit in late March 2014.
I thanked him and I want to do it also this way for Mr. Prime Minister, for his decision to come to visit us for a few hours. Just few hours that will allow us exchanging impressions, opinions, information on the situation in Moldova, on the situation in Ukraine, evolutions in the region, European agenda and, especially, how we manage to implement these goals with the support of Poland and other friends.
And, certainly, the most important objective of these efforts is to transform Moldova, and by this, the entire region, into an area of stability, an area of predictability and an area of prosperity. We will continue the discussion with Prime Minister today and I am confident that the today dialogue and, especially, the official visit due in late March will allow us fostering the Moldovan-Polish dialogue, which is already excellent, so that the bilateral trade, Polish investments into Moldova’s economy be enhanced.
I want to thank Prime Minister, Polish government not only for the strong interest in everything that takes place in the region, but also for willingness to identify intellectual, financial resources to back us on this not at all simple path, I would even call it complicated, but which we are committed to cover. So, dear Donald, I thank you very much once again and please deliver your initial speech.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk:
Mr. Prime Minister, Dear Iurie,.
I came to Chisinau today, taking into account the situation in the region. But, first of all, I came full of hope that this European path of Moldova becomes a reality and we are increasingly closer to a good end.
During my meetings with colleagues from Europe and America, when we exchange opinions about the situation in Ukraine, every time I underlined how important it is for everybody to support Moldova’s efforts. This courage, this huge work you have done here, in Moldova, must produce results as soon as possible.
I hope that, during my official visit to Chisinau in late March, we will be able, even with more certainty, to say that Moldova becomes part of Europe not only in the cultural sense, as it has always been, but also in terms of political and economic relations.
Presently, in Europe, there are more and more countries and politicians who realise that, for Moldova, the Association Agreement, which we hope will be signed, is just a stage. The prospect of full-fledged membership becomes even more realistic than in the past. In Europe, the determination to help Moldovans to get ready for this historic moment is enhancing. We know how important Moldova’s rapprochement with the European Union for all Moldovans is. It is very important that people understand that this approach is not only the interest of the country, but also of each citizen. I can confirm, in my capacity of Prime Minister, that we have started from the same level and this European prospect is worth not only for the country, but also for all citizens.
Presently, in Poland, over 80 per cent of our residents voice their content with our EU membership, 82 per cent, in the last survey, answered that they were pleased that Poland is in the European Union.
This shows how important the project on the dimension of an individual experience is, and not only from the point of view of the state’s experience. And we will do our best, so that the conditions for signing the Association Agreement be even more advantageous for Moldova than so far, so that the perception of these decisions be positive and everybody feels and appreciates these political decisions.
This way towards the European Union is almost to its end. The events in Ukraine show that political stability is very important. The efforts of forerunner Vlad Filat also were very important and Moldova has already understood how important this step is and that predictability is the most important mandate for the future.
