Ministers of Northern, Baltic countries to visit Moldova

TALLINN - Ministers from the Northern and Baltic countries are to visit Moldova on Tuesday to express support for the country's reforms and efforts to counter Russia's hybrid attacks.

The visit takes place ahead of the presidential elections and referendum on Moldova's future relations with the European Union on Oct. 20.

The delegation is to meet with Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Foreign Minister Mihail Popșoi to discuss Moldova's EU accession and explore additional cooperation opportunities. The Northern and Baltic countries have allocated substantial resources to support Moldova's reforms, strengthen the country's democratic institutions, and enhance energy security, as well as provide humanitarian aid. The total support amounted to 128.4 million euros last year. The ministers will visit several regions in Moldova, where they will meet with local people and share their experiences with the European Union.

"Moldova is making significant progress towards EU accession. We are traveling to Moldova with our Nordic-Baltic colleagues to show our support. The people of Moldova need the European Union's backing to counter Russia's ongoing and intensifying hybrid attacks and disinformation," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said.

The Northern and Baltic countries are also committed to enhancing Moldova's resilience so that the country can fend off hybrid attacks, which have intensified ahead of the referendum, and cope with the humanitarian and economic impacts of Russia's illegal aggression against Ukraine.

During the visit, the delegation will sign a memorandum of understanding with Moldova regarding the strengthening of institutional capacity. The memorandum will address cooperation, coordination, and information exchange, including support for the renovation of the monitoring department's facilities in the Moldovan Foreign Ministry.