„I am glad to welcome you in Chisinau. It is also a great pleasure for me to have somebody with such experience to lead the EUBAM Mission. I hope to have a successful cooperation as possible, as EUBAM has an important role in Moldova and thanks to your experience Moldova will go on a correct direction,” Leanca said.
The officials exchanged views about the joint projects implemented in Moldova and cooperation development prospects. The sides also referred to the situation in the region.
For his part, Francesco Bastagli reconfirmed EUBAM’s willingness to further back Moldova.
„I am in Chisinau for three weeks and I am glad to be here in such a happy moment for the relation between Moldova and the European Union, the obtaining of the visa free regime,” Bastagli said.
Leanca praised EUBAM’s assistance provided to the Moldovan and Ukrainian customs and border guard authorities, especially, the taking over of the European practices in terms of border security. In this context, Leanca stressed that Moldova further counted on the EU’s assistance.
For almost eight years, EUBAM fulfils assistance duties in the cooperation between the Moldovan and Ukrainian competent services as regards the border security, by which it significantly contributed to fostering the Moldovan-Ukrainian bilateral collaboration and achieving joint projects.
Francesco Bastagli held the post of Special Representative of Kofi Annan for Western Sahara. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Head of the UN Mission in Kosovo (2002-2005) and as UN Resident Coordinator in the Islamic Republic of Iran (1999-2002).
In a long UN career, Bastagli also worked in senior positions on drugs and crime control, nuclear energy, the Palestinian question and with refugees in Central America. Before joining EUBAM, Bastagli was senior advisor at the Institute for International Political Studies in Milan.
