Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President of CAPDR: “The RO – MD – UA Cross-Border Cooperation Center in ȘTEFĂNEȘTI operationalizes the Trilateral mechanism in relation to the European Commission.”

On January 30, 2026, at the Stefănești Town Hall, Botoșani County, the Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Working Meeting took place, an event dedicated to strengthening cross-border cooperation and highlighting the role of public administration in the development and implementation of regional development strategies. In this context, the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești was also launched.

The meeting was organized by the Center for Regional Development Analysis and Planning (CAPDR), in partnership with ADR Chișinău, and is hosted by the City Hall of Ștefănești.

The event brought together approximately 60 representatives of local public administrations and institutions from the suburbs of the municipality of Chișinău, the Northern Region of the Republic of Moldova, Botoșani, Suceava, and Iași counties, as well as from the eligibility area for cross-border cooperation in Ukraine.

Messages from the Participants at the Launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești:

1. The President of the Soroca District Council, Veaceslav Rusnac, in ȘTEFĂNEȘTI, in the context of the Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Working Meeting: „We commit to being reliable partners for successful projects on both sides of the Prut River”
2. The Mayor of Ștefănești (RO), Florin BUȚURA, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “At this moment, we have two major projects.”
3. The Mayor of Soroca Municipality, Lilia PILIPEȚCHI, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “The hopes are enormous. This cooperation has been awaited for a long time.”
4. Gabriela DUGAN (CJ Suceava, RO), in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: „It will certainly bring added value to the activity of attracting funds for the calls from the Republic of Moldova.”
5. Iurie GANGAN, Mayor of the City of Florești (Republic of Moldova), in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We hope to implement joint projects that will benefit our citizens.”
6. The Mayor of Glodeni City (Republic of Moldova), Stela ONUȚU, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We have expectations for the benefit of both banks of the Prut River, for our communities.”
7. Ștefan PURICI, Vice-Rector of “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava (Romania), in the context of the launch of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center: „Cross-border projects can be carried out more effectively when partners come together with different experiences, as well as different needs and requirements.”
8. Adrian GÎLCĂ (ADR Chișinău, MD), in the context of the launch of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center: “Real partnerships are the key to turning cross-border dialogue into concrete projects.”
9. The Deputy Mayor of the City of Rîșcani (Republic of Moldova), Denis Țurcanu, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We want this partnership to grow and to gain as much experience as possible in attracting European funds.”
10. Mayor of the City of Costești (MD), Nelu GLASU, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “Such meetings create real premises for beneficial cross-border projects.”
11. Constantin Cocoreanu, Mayor of Tudora Commune (RO), on the occasion of the launch of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center: “We are eager for collaboration, we are eager for development.”
12. Cătălin Dimitrie ZLEI, Mayor of Hudești Commune (RO), on the occasion of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We are involved in several projects and are open to all future collaborations.”
13. The Mayor of Vorona commune, Botoșani County (RO), Sergiu DASCĂLU, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center: “Cross-border cooperation begins with culture and continues through concrete projects for communities”
14. The Deputy Mayor of Edineț (MD), Rodelia VASILCOV, on the occasion of the launch of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center: „We are adopting Romania’s experience for successful projects in Edineț”
15. The Establishment of a CAPDR Office in Soroca Discussed at the Romania – Moldova – Ukraine Meeting in Ștefănești | From Dialogue to Concrete Projects
16. Botoșani City Deputy Mayor (RO), Bogdan BUHĂIANU, on the occasion of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești: “We strongly believe in cross-border projects and are open to partnerships.”
17. Ilie PANDACIUC, founder of Be Smart (RO), on digitalization as a real support for administration and investments, in the context of the launch of the ro-md.capdr.ro platform by the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești
18. Vasile SASU, Mayor of the Botoșani commune of Durnești (RO), on experiences and challenges in Romania–Moldova–Ukraine cross-border projects, in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești
19. Emilian IVASUC, Project Manager at CAPDR (RO), in the context of the launch of the CAPDR Cross-Border Cooperation Center – Ștefănești

The Thematic Framework and Meeting Objectives

The meeting’s agenda focused on the theme “The Role of Public Administration in Developing and Implementing Development Strategies”, in the context of the Interreg NEXT Romania – Republic of Moldova 2021–2027 Project, implemented by CAPDR and ADR Chișinău.

The project component aimed at creating an institutional framework for practical dialogue and cooperation between public authorities, associative organizations, and experts from Romania and the Republic of Moldova, with a focus on regional development and cross-border cooperation.

During the meeting, the “From Dialogue to Action” concept was also presented, through the introduction of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center. Aspects related to the center’s establishment, its membership structure, current activities, projects developed by its members, as well as the national and international representation role of this cooperation structure were addressed.

After the working session, the agenda continued with a visit to the future headquarters of the CAPDR – Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center, as well as an institutional networking session hosted at the base of the “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University in Ștefănești. This stage was dedicated to strengthening the RO–MD–UA network, identifying joint projects, exchanging contacts, and outlining cooperation perspectives within thematic working groups.

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR President: “Ștefănești, a Strategic Node for Romania – Republic of Moldova – Ukraine Cooperation”

Ion ȘTEFANOVICI, President of CAPDR, detailed the significance of this endeavor, the proposed institutional architecture, and CAPDR’s strategic vision regarding the development of cross-border cooperation in the Eastern European space. His statements outline the transition from punctual initiatives to a coherent interregional governance mechanism, with medium and long-term impact.

What is the significance, Mr. President, of the January 30, 2026 meeting in Ștefănești?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Indeed, as you rightly said, this working meeting marks the establishment of a regional framework for trilateral cooperation between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. Essentially, by signing this trilateral regional cooperation memorandum, we are laying the foundations for permanent interregional governance, operationalized through this cross-border cooperation center of C.A.P.D.R., developed together with our partners in Ștefănești. This is a step, we consider, towards maturing the cooperation in this space and a move to a clear institutional architecture.

Why was Ștefănești chosen as the central point for this endeavor?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: This town has an obvious strategic positioning. Botoșani County is the only administrative-territorial unit in Romania simultaneously eligible for cross-border cooperation with both the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

This is an aspect that has not been highlighted until now, I don’t understand why, but its location on the Prut axis transforms Ștefănești into a land-based administrative node, which facilitates the direct interface between the European Union, obviously through us, Romania, and even more obviously through our region, Moldova, and the Republic of Moldova, but with a natural opening towards Ukraine.

Before moving on, Mr. President, I would like to ask you about the role of the C.A.P.D.R. Ștefănești cross-border cooperation center. What would that be?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Essentially, the center itself represents a permanent operational mechanism of the Romania-Moldova-Ukraine trilateral cooperation. It functions as a project coordination hub, an interregional governance platform, and an institutional interface in the relationship with our governments Romania, Republic of Moldova, Ukraine, but, attention, also with the European Commission. Essentially, it provides local administrations with a stable instrument for work and cooperation.

Mr. Ștefanovici, a point I would like to touch on next is the memorandum, which refers to a strategic territorial architecture. What does this entail?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Yes, you highlighted this aspect from the memorandum very well. Essentially, the territorial architecture is open and scalable. There are two fundamental features.

Ștefănești represents the land-based node on the Prut axis. Soroca, our partner from the Republic of Moldova, the Soroca City Hall and Council, to be exact, represents an operational-strategic node on the Dniester axis. Those who don’t know, are invited to visit the Soroca Fortress of the Republic of Moldova, but also of Moldova, instituted, created, consolidated, conceived by Stephen the Great, it also belongs to us in a historical manner.

This natural choice of the Soroca council and city hall is based indeed on a relationship on the Dniester with Ukraine, traversing the entire Republic of Moldova from us, to the South. And in Ukraine we have selected our partners from Budjak, Odesa region, but not in a random manner. C.A.P.D.R., the Center for Regional Development Analysis and Planning, has a protocol signed as early as 2025 with ADR Odesa, the Odesa Regional Development Agency.

Odesa joined ADR Chișinău in a project that we, C.A.P.D.R., initiated as early as 2024, but it became operational in 2025 and will end in 2026. So what I want to say with this is that things are connecting in a natural way. On strategic documents, action plans, trilateral results, however achieved through European Union mechanisms.

Through projects, through funding, through co-financing, through procedures and mechanisms. So everything that is happening at the moment with this Cross-Border Cooperation Center is essentially a resultant of our efforts, actions, relationships and usual collaborations.

Returning, this structure, the Cross-Border Cooperation Center of CAPDR in Ștefănești, will essentially provide interregional cooperation through land-based, fluvial openings—there are two important rivers, the Prut and the Dniester—and maritime, because the Odesa region, this offers us positioning on the Black Sea, openness, commercial logistics for our region from north to south.

And this center will essentially function as a hub for interconnection between countries and regions.

I understand, Mr. President. It is very important to mention next the priority areas for cooperation established through the memorandum.

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Yes, there are. Infrastructure, extremely important.

We must recognize that the Republic of Moldova and, especially Ukraine, for obvious reasons, has infrastructure that requires considerable investment. So, maybe we still complain in Romania about the state of the roads and not only. Road infrastructure, utilities, centers, clinics and so on.

But let’s not forget that all of these are fairly well put in place. Harder to manage, we hardly have any beneficiaries for them anymore, empty schools and so on, but they exist.

Mobility, economy, and investments: extraordinarily important in this period where successive and combined crises, like in a perfect storm, hit us equally in Europe, whether it’s west, center, or east.

Agriculture and the food industry. So, security from this point of view is vital.

And we live in regions, from this point of view, extremely abundant. The fact that we fail to process the resulting raw material from the food industry, from agriculture more correctly put, is a major shortcoming of ours. The massive imports we record at Unison, both us as a region, but also Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine, again make us even more vulnerable in these periods.

Further, education, research, culture, tourism in tandem. And here I would like to point out that through the regional tourism program Via Moldavia we will have a common, subsumed effort, let’s say, in our regions through collaboration. It’s called Via Moldavia, it is a multi-year fair, organized with two editions.

This year it will be at Palas, the first edition in May, and I will return with details in this field.

Digitization of administration – and here I will refer to a few even interregional processes that we are working on in a digital manner to facilitate our collaboration. You see very well that bureaucracy in the European Union is a deficiency.

Each state has treated this bureaucracy in a somewhat personalized way. The Poles have mechanisms that have reduced bureaucratic systems, the Romanians continue with loads of papers to ADRs, regional development agencies, personnel over personnel, checks over checks. We, through this digitization, want to reduce both procedures, or to clarify and simplify them more correctly put, and distances.

Because we have periods like this one we are in now, in January, where weather conditions, cold, ice, sleet and so on, do not allow us to have mobility in this perimeter. Maybe often we do not have the possibility to reach partners in Ukraine. In the South, for example, I don’t know how many of us have ever been to Odesa, and anyway in this period it is even more difficult.

This, however, should not hinder our collaboration. So, digitization seen in this manner, de facto and de jure, eases work and leads to results in a much faster and more efficient way. Digitization of administration should be understood in this sense.

Then, energy. We have energy corridors in the South of our region and in the North of the region. For example, from Suceava starts an energy node, an energy network, which passes through Botoșani, goes towards Bălți, exactly on this corridor we are working on, cross-border cooperation center.

We meet regularly in the area of energy cooperation, specialists are at the table, projects are underway. From now on there will be many more energy solutions to interconnect us on one hand, to produce together, to come up with common and environmental solutions. Let’s not forget, however, the humanitarian and social cooperation area.

Because in recent years it has been severely tested. I know that in Romania these things are seen as they are seen, but just as we have expected and want to be helped by peoples or states, which have the capacity to offer us this support and have offered it to us over the years, I believe we must proceed the same way with those who continue to go through difficult times. So these are areas with a direct impact on regional development and ultimately on the quality of life of people and communities.

Yes, indeed, as you very well said, areas with a real impact on regional development. I would like you to detail further how cooperation between the parties is concretely achieved, Mr. President Ion Ștefanovici?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: The question is excellent from several points of view.

First, in the years where I mostly observed and watched how bilateral cooperations between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, respectively Romania and Ukraine, unfold, I noted the fact that they are somehow random. They were left and still are by certain institutions to the discretion of the parties. Essentially, the systems are still operational on a project call basis.

These project calls for cross-border cooperation are “thin.” That is, the funds are few. And obviously they are announced, that’s not a problem here.

A number of organizations, city halls, NGOs and so on apply. And certain winners are designated. But, these mechanisms, although good, are completely insufficient today.

However, what was completely missing was a formula for interregional governance. This means the fact that mayors from Romania with those from the Republic of Moldova, mayors from Romania with those from Ukraine, should, and this is what we will do, sit at the same table, discuss common realities, common problems, common solutions. And propose, again in a common manner, to our governments and European commissions, action plans re-indexed from the grassroots, from the communities.

In such a way that the strategies on the European Union budget, for the period, for the financial framework, 2028, 2034, even 2035, are not this budget and this plan made in offices in Brussels or Strasbourg, but start from the realities of our communities. This is what we lacked. And not only in interregional cooperation, but also within the regions.

Projects, development plans for each of our regions in Romania were made, I’m sorry to say, more or less in offices. They did not start, were not elevated from mayors upwards. Mayors were essentially called to apply and for N, innumerable clarifications and so on.

That’s the relationship. One of a bureaucratic type, one where development plans start from the top, from the center, downwards. When it should be the opposite, needs should be revealed from below, from citizens through public administration, mayors, upwards, towards the top.

Noting these things, our mechanism for the functioning of the center and the partners, involved members, is achieved through mixed working groups between Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

How? Through periodic meetings within the center in Ștefănești, through joint projects and the use of digital platforms developed by the cross-border cooperation center, together with our specialists. One such example, I told you earlier, in digitization, is the platform ro-md.capdr.ro Another ro-ua.capdr.ro will follow. It’s not a simple platform.

It’s an expensive platform. Very expensive. But it is a platform that at the moment we have borne only partially as cost, the rest was secured through a European project.

In cooperation with ADR Chișinău, the Chișinău Regional Development Agency. Essentially we exploit it together, but we realize it through a preponderantly greater effort than CAPDR. With IT specialists, but, again, based on the needs indicated by the beneficiaries of European funds.

And not only European funds. Because they are from the state, public administration. Because they are institutions, in general, because they are the private sector, companies.

Because they are from education, because they are from tourism. These will be domains presented in this platform. In time, the platform will harmonize processes and make them extremely easier.

Essentially, all these tools are integrated into a broader ecosystem, which includes the Regional Economic Forum of Moldova, which you well know we took over from ADR North-East in 2022-2023 and organized ourselves, with our own forces. It grew extraordinarily. Last year, it reached 600 participants and 11 panels.

Via Moldavia, this program which was extremely necessary for tourism in our region. We needed it like air, a fair of the Romexpo type, from Bucharest, to bring together demand and supply. Essentially, that’s what it will do.

Then, Moldova Hub and EduCAPDR, the education area and many others, which are carried out according to CAPDR’s strategic plans and its partners for the period 2025-2035. Ten years. We have lacked extraordinarily, from 1990 until today, coherence, perseverance, and institutional logic.

Each government that was overthrown, came, fell, was taken over and so on, came with its own ideas. There were no coherent projects to be continued. We need continuity. We need objectives set for ten years, twenty years, fifty years, some general. But who is to do them?

Thank you for a more than clear and more than detailed answer. However, I would like to focus in the following on the interregional governance structures that this memorandum provides for. And I would like to know how these will function.

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Dear Madam, in any endeavor, you need comprehensive leadership that responds in a mature, balanced, but also responsible manner. Perhaps first of all responsible, to the challenges of the moment.

Essentially, in the Cross-Border Cooperation Center in Ștefănești there will be three levels of coordination. First, the Regional Coordination Council between Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine. So the Regional Coordination Council.

This has a decision-making role. It is composed of 19 members. At the moment we are CAPDR, at the presidential level.

The administration of the city of Ștefănești-Botoșani, at the mayor level. They are also the host city. There, a school that is no longer used today will be modernized and will become a physical center where there will be facilities, accommodations, possibilities for trainings, professional training.

People can stay, submit documents, carry out certain steps. They can stay overnight because they come from appreciable distances. Although Ștefănești has, if we make an imaginary, virtual circle of 100 kilometers around, within 100 kilometers you reach from Ștefănești, you have 80 to Iași, and Iași airport, so you have accessibility.

You reach in 60 kilometers to Salcea airport in Suceava, the Ștefan cel Mare airport in Suceava, 60 kilometers from Ștefănești. You reach in 100 and a bit kilometers to Soroca, on the Dniester, you similarly reach the border with Ukraine in 30-40 kilometers, and you have 100 and something to Chernivtsi, so you realize, it is extraordinarily well placed strategically also from this point of view. But I return to the leadership level, the regional coordination level.

19 members. So Ștefănești, next is the Soroca City Hall at the mayor level, the Soroca District Council at the president level, both are very important, we will propose they institute a CAPDR cross-border cooperation office in Soroca as well. And we also have at the leadership level, the administration of Budjak, Odesa region, and at the moment, these are the constituent members, those who founded.

But, with equal rights, others will join, will make requests, will join members mayors and not only, but from Romania, the eligibility regions, I mean, the eligibility counties, Botoșani, Iași, Vaslui, I think we will go a bit further towards Galați, maybe towards Maramureș, because they also have business with Ukraine. But gradually, gradually. Okay.

And, further, we have the Regional Advisory Council. This provides expertise. It is composed of 31 members.

So it is advisory. And then, on level 3, in an execution role, is the executive director of the center, who will coordinate the center and the center’s employees. The center will, again, register a first.

Because the employees will be Romanians, citizens of the Republic of Moldova, so Moldovans, who will come and live from Monday to Friday, or some who are close to the border, because there are very close districts, Rîșcani, Drochia, Bălți, Soroca, are close. Some can even commute. And Ukrainian employees, who similarly will be seconded from institutions, or simply hired specialists.

Well, the execution role will fall to the executive director of the center. And this structure allows coherent decisions and, obviously, efficient implementation.

I understand and thank you. If you can detail the role you will have in the transition period?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: The founding members have granted me a transitional mandate to represent the CAPDR Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center. I was telling you, earlier, the fact that out of 19 members, at the moment, in the Regional Coordination Council, we have 5. So we need 14 more members. The advisory structure starts from 0 to 31, at the moment, and the Cross-Border Cooperation Center in Ștefănești, in a realistic manner, today functions in the Ștefănești City Hall.

So, until the moment the headquarters will be rehabilitated, equipped in execution, until the structures will be complete, my role, indeed, is to take care during this transitional period of achieving these objectives. And this supplementary mandate involves dialogue with institutions, facilitating access to funding, ultimately, during this period, and, as I said, ensuring operational continuity, until the complete constitution of the governance structures.

What impact do you anticipate for the Moldova Region?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: First of all, the impact will be a structural one.

Through this framework, the Moldova Region essentially consolidates its role as a bridge between the European Union, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. But I ask you, from where do we take the situation today? We take it from a region, such as Moldova, whose GDP per capita stands at 39-40% of the European average. You listen to the news frequently, you know it’s been said for years and nothing has changed that the Moldova Region is among the poorest in the EU regions.

Why? Because from 1990 until today, or from 2007 from accession until 2026, we functioned in a wrong paradigm. The counties in the North-East Region have been and still are classified as the eastern extremity of the European Union. Error.

Our thinking is completely different and positions it as on the chessboard. You know, in the game of chess the player who positions his pieces on the center wins. And he, remaining in check, has the possibility of moves left-right, forward-backward, according to a game strategy.

As long as you place yourself in an extremity, you only have the possibility to work, in our case, towards the west. No one has thought until now that with the east one can work in a manner where we become the center, helping them and helping ourselves. So that is the paradigm shift, both mental and strategic, ultimately.

We haven’t talked about these things until now, we let them happen, they are happening and now we are essentially explaining them. From here we start from a disadvantaged area, from an area limited in options, from an eastern extremity area, forgotten by the world. Returning, cooperation gains in this manner of work predictability.

That matters enormously. Projects become essentially coherent, as I told you during the interview. And local administrations have a stable instrument for sustainable regional development.

Indeed, Mr. President, it is very important that the impact, as you rightly pointed out, is a palpable one.

But if we discussed this endeavor itself, its role, its impact, I would like to ask you further, in your vision, what would be the evolution of this endeavor? Both in the medium and long term.

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: For this town, which hasn’t been heard of, let’s be serious. In Romania, only one Ștefănești has been heard of, somewhere near Bucharest. Although no one knows of a Ștefănești in Moldova.

This Ștefănești in Moldova, through us, becomes a landmark of interregional governance. The model is open for extension and adaptations, as I mentioned earlier. And the objective is the establishment, or more correctly said the construction of a functional network.

I say construction because it is already established. So we must elaborate it, add structural elements that have foundation and, very importantly what I tell you now, to withstand pressure. So the construction of a functional cooperation network that will support economic development first and foremost.

Then social and institutional in our entire collaboration space. Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine. When I say Ukraine, I specify, if I haven’t done so until now, the eligibility area.

So it’s Chernivtsi with Romania. Chernivtsi and Budjak. These have been designated long ago as eligibility areas for Romania. And we work on them.

Mr. Ștefanovici, how can interested institutions become members of the CAPDR Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: Yes, a very important aspect, because it presents the possibility of scalability and openness. I start from a landmark.

The fact that until now I have seen very many associations, I’m not trying to downplay or elevate them, it doesn’t make sense, in importance. But the Siret-Prut-Dniester Euroregion, the IT association, I don’t know which, with loud voices, which gathered members, members pay fees, the results are, again, thin. I know better each of the members, what their benefits are through those structures.

Not necessarily the fault of those respective structures, the Siret-Prut-Dniester Euroregion. At one point, when this association and association was founded, around 2007-2008, I don’t remember exactly, in Iași, we lived in certain times and certain conditions and conditionalities. The European Union was at a certain stage, expertise was of a certain nature, times were, remember, 2007-2008-2009, of a certain kind.

We were in pre-accession, Europe was governed by calm, stability and so on. Today, in 2025, the financial framework for 2028-2034 will be completely different. So in 2025, in the second part of the year, the principle directions for the realization of the future budget, 2028-2034, were established.

In Romania, we are still surprised. We are not proactive at all. We took note, we looked, we didn’t send proposals to Brussels related to our interests, from no kind of region, but let’s not compare, because Transylvania, again, will manage to make its place as it has in the past.

Ilfov, Bucharest-Ilfov, will find its way, Banat, similarly, will find its prerogatives. Let’s not forget that ADR Banat is led by a former Minister of Finance, of both Finance and MIPE, the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, and so on. So I don’t pity them.

I pity myself or am worried for myself, for my region, Moldova. Because from here we have no levers to reach Brussels as we should. We have an office in Brussels which for us, for the Moldova region, although we say we are the only ones who have a representation office there, brings us no kind of benefit.

It only records costs. I won’t go into details now. So with this I want to say that the structures we have at the moment are inoperable.

They are no longer efficient. They haven’t demonstrated their efficiency, they haven’t adapted to the times we live in. That’s what I want to say.

So that I have no emotions or worries that mayors, county council presidents, business people will not quickly see the utility and viability of this structure and will come alongside us. Indeed, there will be a member selection process. But that is another discussion.

And returning to your question regarding how interested institutions can become members. Members of the CAPDR Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center. It will be done, they will become members by submitting official requests.

These requests have already existed on the occasion of the center’s launch on January 30, this year. These membership requests essentially follow a natural course. They are analyzed within the governance structures, which we discussed earlier.

These are the Regional Cooperation Council I remind, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, composed of 19 members, with a decision-making role, but also the Regional Advisory Council, on the same trilateral format, composed of 31 members, with an expertise role. Following these validations, new members are integrated into the center’s working mechanisms. They can thus validate their own projects, identify institutional partners and sources of funding.

But, again very important, they must, and they also have the possibility, a right and a responsibility, an obligation to actively contribute to the implementation of the interregional development strategy between Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

Mr. Ștefanovici, I would not like to conclude this interview without discussing the importance of the CAPDR Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center in the medium and long term. So, how do you see the role of this center in the medium and long term?

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: To give a closing note and thank you that we went into a lot of detail, but I believe they are very important for those who want to base their decision and create a horizon of expectation and involvement in this center.

This Cross-Border Cooperation Center in Ștefănești becomes a meeting space, essentially, between decision, expertise, and regional vision. In Ștefănești we will bring, within thematic meetings, names of resonance from our states, from the European Union, I mean, but also from among international partners. When I say international partners, those who have followed my activity have seen with predilection that my vision and boldness, as some have called it, does not stop at Western Europe.

It goes very much towards our east as well. I looked as far as China, I reached China, I am interested in India, I have discussed with India, this treaty, the mother of treaties, as it was called, between the European Union and India, favors all the endeavors we have, we are very interested in trade exchanges, import-export, we treated these subjects in a pragmatic manner, on the occasion of meetings, for example, at the Regional Economic Forum of Moldova.

So, Saudi Arabia, more than once we have met with them, we went to their business council, an important number of businessmen and associative structures from Saudi Arabia came to Bucharest, they will come once more, this spring, we have already invited them, and they have responded to the invitation, we will establish a program and we will meet in our region, we will go to the Republic of Moldova with them for the presentation of investment opportunities, in general they were interested in the food security area, we are interested, obviously, in not exporting raw material, we want to process it as much as we can, we can only do that with our processors, in the agri-food industry field.

So, I want to say that all these names will pass through Ștefănești and there will be meetings with our representatives from the trilateral. And it will be discussed extremely concretely to lay the foundations for concrete actions. But we will proceed also in reverse.

Our trilateral delegations will go to Brussels for applied discussions based on our interests formulated through documents like this memorandum we already have which is addressed to the Romanian government, the Republic of Moldova government and the government in Kyiv. But also the European Commission. How do we act in relation to the European Commission? Believe it or not? Through our MEPs of Romania.

They are there, we must use them, put them to work and allow me to tell you already that three of them have responded to our proposals. They are in different parties, different groups. We go together with them.

We put them in a form of competition. This does not mean we prefer some or give up on others. We give them the possibility to relate to our objectives.

Whoever solves them, that one is to be appreciated. That is our manner of work. An alignment of visions, if you allow me.

A sustained common effort, let’s say. That is more or less what the Cross-Border Cooperation Center will do in relation to third parties, external partners, regardless of where they will be from. I remind once again, the location of the locality offers us all the advantages to relate very easily within 100-150 km, air accessibility is obvious.

Who knows, fluvial in time, at least halfway, the Prut is a project for dredging and for its accessibility at the level of light vessels. Projects that only if we are channeled on them, can we solve them. What else to add in a final note? That through this institutional framework, which we have created, the Center in Ștefănești will, from my point of view, and I don’t want to exaggerate with anything, write history.

It will contribute majorly to the consolidation of interregional governance, to the connection of the European space with its eastern neighborhood. Exactly what I detailed during this interview. Positioning us, essentially, towards the center and transforming us from a European periphery into a center that will provide expertise.

And in a manner of cross-border cooperation, we believe we will become an extremely real instrument of development, stability, and regional progress. Thank you very much!

Mr. President Ion Ștefanovici, thank you for having the kindness to reflect with us on the significance of the meeting dedicated to the Establishment of the Regional Framework for Romania-Republic of Moldova-Ukraine Trilateral Cooperation in Ștefănești, that you spoke to us about the role of the Ștefănești Cross-Border Cooperation Center, but also about many other aspects. I can only congratulate you on the endeavor, vision, and initiative and wish you much success in all that you undertake!

Ion Ștefanovici, CAPDR president: We also thank you very much! If we hadn’t considered it a decisive and extremely important step, I assure you I wouldn’t have insisted so much on all the details. Thank you once again!