The President voiced support to Moldova’s aspirations for eurointegration as well as for the democratic reform process initiated by Maia Sandu. Gitanas Nausėda urged the leader of Moldova to assume active leadership in building up relations with the EU at the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit.
“Presidential election results in Moldova have demonstrated that people expect change. We strongly support the democratic reform agenda initiated by the President, especially in the fields of justice, anti-corruption and finance,” the President said, stressing his determination to bring together European leaders who support the President of Moldova and the democratic change she has set into motion. In December 2020, the President initiated a joint statement together with the leaders of Estonia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, expressing full support to Maia Sandu and her efforts to uphold democratic values, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law.
The President called on Moldova’s leader to advance active cooperation with other Eastern Partnership countries, in particular with associated partners, for developing a joint vision and representing it together at EU institutions.
The meeting also focused on containing the pandemic and inoculation strategies. The President stressed that he was raising the issue of access to EU vaccines for Eastern Partnership countries at the highest EU level. “The mechanism put forward by the European Commission to ensure the supply of vaccines to the neighboring - especially Eastern Partnership - countries could serve as a new breakthrough for consolidating contacts between the EU and neighboring states,” the President said.
The two leaders exchanged views on how to fight the economic impact of the pandemic, focusing on small and medium-sized business. They agreed on the need for more dynamic interaction in countering disinformation, cyber and hybrid threats.
Maia Sandu invited the President of Lithuania to visit Moldova as soon as circumstances permit. The President plans to visits all Eastern Partnership associated countries this coming spring: Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.
