News

On 21 October in Vilnius, at the meeting of the Moldovan-Lithuanian Commission on European Integration, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis welcomed Moldova’s aspirations to open negotiations for a deepened and comprehensive free trade agreement with the European Union already this year and called on the country’s politicians to unanimously support the ongoing reforms.

According to the Minister, Lithuania is a consistent supporter of Moldova’s European path and reforms facilitating the country’s rapprochement with the EU.

“We believe that by end of this year the EU will have opened talks on a comprehensive free trade agreement with Moldova,” said A.Ažubalis.

The Minister identifies Moldova’s readiness to introduce a visa free regime with the EU as one of the most important aspects of the country’s relations with the EU. The European Commission also acknowledges Moldova’s progress in this area.

At the same time, the Minister called on politicians from Moldova’s ruling coalition to be united, because this is necessary for further implantation of social and economic reforms in Moldova, which would bring many benefits to local people.

The meeting of the Moldovan-Lithuanian Commission on European, co-chaired by A.Ažubalis and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Iurie Leancă, was also attended by Lithuanian agriculture, social security, health care and tax specialists, who shared with representatives from Moldova Lithuania’s experience in implementing reforms and in the area of European integration.

This year, specialists of both countries are actively cooperating in the field of legal reforms.

The Moldovan-Lithuanian Commission on European Integration was established in the beginning of 2010, based on the declaration that was signed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries on cooperation in the field of European integration. The meetings of the Commission are held once a year. This meeting in Vilnius is the second one.