FERM 2024 | Message from the Economic Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Romania, Lucia MURSA

Panel „INVESTMENTS”

Module IV – Romania – Republic of Moldova Cooperation through the Moldova Region, 18th Edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum, Vatra Dornei, 2024

SPEAKER – Lucia MURSA – Economic Advisor at the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Romania

THEME: “Moldovan-Romanian economic relations. Bilateral cooperation priorities”

Lucia Mursa, advisor at the Commercial-Economic Office of the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Romania, highlighted the importance and diversity of economic relations between the two countries in the context of the 18th Edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum 2024. In her intervention at the Investments Panel, Mursa emphasized the multiple directions of cooperation and development that define the Moldovan-Romanian partnership.

Tight and Continually Developing Trade Relations

“Romania is the most important commercial and strategic partner of the Republic of Moldova, and we have a very close bilateral agenda with this country”, said Mursa, highlighting joint projects in infrastructure, energy, and digital public services, noting that these are “a major priority in the cooperation between the two states”.

Trade exchanges between the Republic of Moldova and Romania reached an impressive total of 2.7 billion US dollars in 2023, excluding the Transnistrian region. According to statistical data for the first half of 2024, over 65% of Moldovan exports are destined for EU countries, with nearly 32% of Moldovan goods exported to Romania. In this context, Lucia Mursa emphasized the need to diversify Moldovan exports to the Romanian market: “We want and are actually taking actions to diversify our exports to the Romanian market”.

Reciprocal Investments

An essential aspect of economic cooperation is focused on investments. Romania ranks first in the list of major foreign investors in the Republic of Moldova, with 1,609 Romanian companies registered and investments in social capital exceeding 350 million euros. “Romania is number 1 in the list of major foreign investors in the Republic of Moldova by the volume of investments”, noted Lucia Mursa.

Additionally, the number of Moldovan companies registered in Romania is remarkable. Over 7,000 firms with capital from the Republic of Moldova are active in Romania, representing 3% of the total foreign-owned firms in Romania, placing the Republic of Moldova 34th among the investing states in Romania.

Recent achievements and ongoing projects

Lucia Mursa also highlighted recent achievements in bilateral relations: „After a 6-year hiatus, in April of this year, the 12th meeting of the Moldovan-Romanian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation was held in Bucharest”. This meeting brought together government representatives from both countries to discuss the implementation status of projects and set new cooperation objectives.

Major infrastructure projects

Mursa detailed some of the major ongoing projects, including the construction of the bridge over the Prut River between Ungheni (RO) and Ungheni (MD), along with four other road bridges, noting that “these bridges will contribute to easing traffic for our trucks and more, enhance trade, and integrate the Republic of Moldova into the European road network”.

Development potential and european integration

In conclusion, Lucia Mursa reaffirmed the potential and willingness of the Republic of Moldova to offer significant opportunities for investors, highlighting strategic areas such as agriculture, electronics, IT, light industry, and renewable energy. Romania’s support is essential for Moldova’s European integration: “Support from Romania on the EU dimension is highly appreciated, and we are grateful for the expertise and cooperation in various sectors.”.

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