Pellegrini: Slovakia Is Moldova's Friend and Supports Its Path to EU

      Bratislava, 26 March (TASR) - Slovakia is a friend of Moldova and supports its path towards prosperity and stability within the European family, stated President Peter Pellegrini in Bratislava on Thursday during the opening of the first Slovak-Moldovan Business Forum, also attended by his Moldovan counterpart Maia Sandu.
        In his speech, the Slovak head of state emphasised the importance of cooperation between the business communities of Slovakia and Moldova. "The willingness to cooperate, build partnerships and create value is literally in the air. It's precisely this desire to cooperate that we can rely on even in today's unpredictable world," he said.
        Pellegrini highlighted the need to develop economic relations between the two countries and to support business activities. "We have a solid foundation on which to build," he stated, noting that the goal is to strengthen economic ties and create new opportunities for companies from both countries.
        "Both Slovakia and Moldova are relatively small economies striving to diversify beyond traditional sectors while facing challenges caused by the war in our immediate neighbourhood. We can capitalise on our similarities while focusing on areas in which we can complement each other," he added.
        "In times like these, closeness matters, reliability matters, shared interests matter. The partnership between Moldova and Slovakia is built on all three. I'm here today with a simple message: Moldova is open for business, and the time is now," added Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
        According to her, Moldova has freed itself from dependence on Russian gas. "We're reforming our judiciary, dismantling the corrupt networks that for years made doing business in Moldova risky. We're aligning our standards, our regulations and our institutions with the European Union, not because Brussels is telling us to, but because we understand that this is the foundation on which real investment can grow," emphasised the Moldovan head of state, adding that Moldova's goal is clear - EU accession by the end of this decade.
        The business forum was organised by the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), Invest Moldova and Moldova's Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The event was attended by 34 Slovak and 21 Moldovan companies operating in energy, food, information and communication technologies, health care, logistics, construction and the wood-processing industry.