Mihai Popșoi holds talks with Romanian Senate President in Bucharest: “Strong cooperation makes our countries stronger”
The Republic of Moldova has made progress across all EU accession negotiation chapters, partly thanks to the active support of the authorities in Bucharest for the country’s European aspirations. These developments were discussed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi and Romanian Senate President Mircea Abrudean during a meeting in Bucharest.
The discussions focused on Moldovan-Romanian relations and how inter-parliamentary cooperation advances reforms and supports joint projects, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.
Mihai Popșoi presented the country's progress in the EU accession process, as noted in the Report on the Republic of Moldova—part of the annual enlargement package published by the European Commission. According to the assessment, the Republic of Moldova has made headway across all negotiating chapters over the past 12 months and is now ready to open the final two clusters.
In this context, the head of diplomacy in Chișinău highlighted the contribution of the Romanian authorities to promoting the Republic of Moldova’s European objectives—both in Brussels and among the member states of the European Union.
Mircea Abrudean reaffirmed Romania’s support for the Republic of Moldova’s European path and commended the efforts made by the authorities in Chișinău to implement reforms and counter hybrid threats.
"The Republic of Moldova remains on track with its proposed timeline for EU accession. We are also seeing progress on major energy interconnection and road infrastructure projects. The strong cooperation between our countries makes us both stronger; together, we serve as a shield against regional threats and as an example of resilience for Europe," stated the President of the Romanian Senate.
The officials reaffirmed the robust nature of the bilateral relationship, rooted in shared values and a strategic partnership between the two states. At the same time, they emphasized the need to continue joint initiatives in areas such as infrastructure, energy, and regional development.
Another topic addressed was regional security—specifically, the increasingly frequent incursions of drones into the airspace of the Republic of Moldova and Romania, against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. The two officials discussed the risks these incidents pose to citizens' safety, as well as the need to coordinate efforts to manage security challenges.
The strong partnership between the Republic of Moldova and Romania was reaffirmed during Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu’s visit to Chișinău on October 27, his first foreign trip since the new Cabinet took office in Bucharest.
During talks with his Moldovan counterpart, Vasile Tofan, the two prime ministers discussed accelerating joint infrastructure projects, including building bridges across the Prut, modernising border crossing points, and developing energy interconnections. Particular attention was also given to diversifying natural gas supplies and strengthening regional security.
On November 2, the defence ministers of the Republic of Moldova and Romania signed several agreements on cooperation and mutual military support. These include participation in joint procurement of military equipment through the European SAFE (Security Action for Europe) mechanism.
The agreements are expected to strengthen the National Army’s logistical and operational capabilities, align military standards, and improve interoperability between the two countries' armed forces. Alongside the procurement of military transport vehicles, Chișinău is exploring ways to expand cooperation through SAFE to acquire and develop air defence systems and anti-drone technologies.
