Thursday, September 11, 2025 – The Palace of the Republic in Chișinău hosted the launch conference of the project “Transfer of Good Practices and Strengthening Administrative Capacity in Regional Development Policy between Romania and the Republic of Moldova,” funded by the Interreg NEXT Romania – Republic of Moldova Program.

The event, organized in partnership between the Center for Analysis and Planning of Regional Development (CAPDR) and the Regional Development Agency of Chișinău (ADR Chișinău), brought together representatives of public administration, regional development experts, and decision-makers from both countries.

Speaker – Ivan KIUSSE – Mayor of Bugeac, Odesa, Ukraine

International Participation: The Voice of Ukraine

Ivan Kiusse, Mayor of Bugeac, Odesa region, Ukraine, delivered a message of solidarity and cross-border cooperation. At the beginning of his speech, the mayor expressed gratitude for the organization of the event.

“First of all, I want to thank Mr. Ștefanovici for organizing this event.”

Ivan Kiusse then made a gesture of sincerity, acknowledging the language difficulties.

“I apologize for not knowing Romanian or English and not being able to fully express my emotions.”

On behalf of the Ukrainian people, he thanked Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and the whole of Europe for their support during difficult times.

“On behalf of the entire Ukrainian people, I want to thank Romania, Moldova, and all of Europe for supporting Ukraine in these challenging times.”

Ion ȘTEFANOVICI – INVITATION to participate in the Opening Conference of the CAPDR – ADR Chișinău Cross-Border Project

Shared European Perspectives

The mayor emphasized the importance of European integration and solidarity among nations.

“As seen in the referendum results, 60% voted for the European direction in Moldova. After all the events that happened in Ukraine over the past year, probably 90%, or maybe even 99%, will vote for the European path.”

He noted that the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine are building together a “European family” and that this path must be followed with dignity.

“I want to say, thank God, that Moldova and Ukraine are building such a European family. I am confident that we will walk this path with dignity.”

LIVE | Launch Conference of the Project “Good Practices and Knowledge Transfer for Strengthening Administrative Capacity between Romania and the Republic of Moldova”

Leveraging International Experience in Regional Development

Ivan Kiusse highlighted the importance of learning from the experience of other European countries and adapting already tested mechanisms.

“We don’t need to create anything new. Everything has been developed in Europe. We just need to learn what and how to do it.”

He presented a local initiative, the Bessarabian Technology Hub, which brings citizens together and establishes concrete steps for regional development.

“Through this Hub, we have determined the steps, united the citizens, and are moving forward with dignity, choosing to study further the problems that may arise.”

Message of Solidarity and Hope

The mayor concluded with an emotional message of gratitude and hope.

“Once again, I want to thank the Republic of Moldova and Romania for welcoming us as we are and for sharing the same values that we now endure, showing empathy. Our peoples have common goals, ordinary people have common directions. May God grant us luck, health, and hope to walk this path. Success to us all!”

Conclusion

The CAPDR–ADR Chișinău event highlighted the importance of cross-border cooperation in regional development, demonstrating that the exchange of good practices and international experience is essential for modernizing local policies.

Ivan Kiusse’s intervention emphasized three key ideas: European solidarity and mutual support – Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine share common values and objectives, and cross-border collaboration strengthens these ties; learning from others – adapting European best practices to the local context allows effective implementation of regional development policies; community involvement and local innovation – initiatives such as the Bessarabian Technology Hub show that active citizen participation is key to identifying and applying sustainable solutions.

Thus, the conference provided not only a framework for dialogue and knowledge exchange but also a concrete vision of how cross-border partnerships can contribute to sustainable development and the strengthening of local institutions.