“As Moldova prepares to decide on its future, the Nordic-Baltic countries stand firmly behind the right of all Moldovans to make their choice freely and independently. As relatively small, export-oriented countries located near or along the EU’s eastern border, we have important insights to share about the EU. We hope that our experiences will help Moldovans make their decision based on facts, not fears,” said Sweden’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Coordinator of the Nordic Baltic cooperation format, Maria Malmer Stenergard, before the departure of the ministers.
The delegation will meet Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai Popşoi to discuss Moldova’s EU accession process and explore areas of further cooperation.
The Nordic-Baltic countries have committed significant resources in support of Moldova’s reforms, efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and the country’s energy security, as well as humanitarian assistance. In 2023, this support amounted to a total of 128 million euros. The ministers will visit several regions in Moldova, where they will meet with members of the public and share their experiences about the EU.
"The Nordic-Baltic countries are also committed to strengthening Moldova’s resilience in the face of intensifying hybrid attacks ahead of the referendum and the significant humanitarian and economic implications of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine," said a release from the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the visit, the delegation will sign a memorandum of understanding with Moldova on strengthening institutional capacity. The memorandum will cover cooperation, coordination and information sharing, including support to modernise a "situation-monitoring room" at the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In 2024, Sweden is serving as Coordinator of the informal foreign and security cooperation format of the Nordic and Baltic countries (NB8), which includes Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland.
