Message from President Ion ȘTEFANOVICI (CAPDR) and Director Sergiu BRÂNZĂ (ADR Chișinău) at the conclusion of the launch event of the Interreg | CAPDR🇷🇴 – ADR Chișinău🇲🇩 project at the Palace of the Republic in Chișinău on September 11, 2025

Thursday, September 11, 2025 – At the Palace of the Republic in Chișinău, 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, took place.

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.

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Speaker:

Ion ȘTEFANOVICI – President CAPDR

Sergiu BRÂNZĂ – Director ADR Chișinău

Closing Message from CAPDR President, Ion Ștefanovici

At the conclusion of the conference, Ion Ștefanovici, President of CAPDR, emphasized the importance of responsibility and active involvement of the project teams.

“I would like to invite all team members to join, to meet each other, know who to reach out to, and I want to convey a short message about responsibility. It is very important to feel that we are part of this project and of our shared endeavor.”

Ștefanovici highlighted the role of young people and the necessity to leverage their skills and knowledge for the benefit of local communities.

“Migration is the greatest problem for Eastern Europe, for Romania and the Republic of Moldova. If we implement European projects and the beneficiaries are no longer here, I wonder why we are doing them. We must support young people to return home and contribute to the development of the communities where they live.”

He also emphasized the value of external expertise and strategic collaboration.

“The procurement components of this project include thorough analyses, action plans, management manuals, training courses, and joint business meetings. This is the moment when the foundation for the future is laid, and everyone’s involvement is needed.”

The Role of the ADR Chișinău Team

Sergiu Brânză, Director of ADR Chișinău, presented the team responsible for implementing the project, highlighting the professionalism and commitment of its members.

“The ADR Chișinău team consists of people who want change both in Chișinău and its suburbs. We know the real problems and are dedicated to implementing meaningful projects for the people.”

He listed the team members and their specific roles, highlighting both administrative and strategic/planning aspects: project managers, procurement specialists, planners, and coordinators.

An Invitation to Collaboration and Responsibility

In his final message, Ion Ștefanovici encouraged participants to engage with the project and actively participate.

“This is not just another project. It is a project that can influence how Chișinău develops for many years to come. We must feel responsibility towards our communities in every fiber of our DNA.”

He stressed the importance of future meetings and the exchange of contacts between teams to ensure continuity of collaboration:

“I know it may have been two hours of a lot of information, but now I ask you to forget about the Romanian part, the Moldovan part. Let’s get to know each other better, maintain contact, and exchange contacts through ADR Chișinău and CAPDR.”

Conclusions

The launch of the project “Transfer of Good Practices and Strengthening Administrative Capacity” represents a strategic moment in consolidating cross-border cooperation between Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Through the active involvement of the ADR and CAPDR teams, support for young people, and the utilization of external expertise, the project lays the foundation for an integrated approach to regional development.

An essential aspect highlighted by Ion Ștefanovici is the responsibility that participants and institutions have towards local communities: the success of the project depends on each individual’s involvement, the ability to identify real needs, and the capacity to develop strategic plans to be implemented in the long term.

Through collaboration between young people, local specialists, and international experts, the project aims to create policies and tools that enable the efficient attraction of European funding and ensure the sustainability of regional initiatives.