The trip takes place within the “Open World” academic and professional exchange programme, financed and organized by the US Congress and the US Embassy in Moldova, with the assistance of the American Councils for International Education. According to the press service of the legislative body, the goal of the program is to strengthen cooperation, promote mutual understanding and develop direct dialogue with American political leaders.
During the visit, the parliamentarians are holding a series of events in Washington and the state of North Carolina. In the US capital, the Moldovan delegation has already held meetings with senators and members of the US House of Representatives.
Energy security
PAS MP Stela Macari thanked the American side for supporting infrastructure projects: “It was a special honor for me to thank Congresswoman Dina Titus for her legislative and diplomatic efforts to support a strategic project – the 400 kV Straseni-Gutinas overhead transmission line. This will allow Moldova to fully integrate into the European energy market and avoid energy blackmail”.
“With the flag on the chest”
PAS deputy Tatiana Rotary noted a symbolic moment: “A very touching episode took place at a meeting with Congresswoman Virginia Foxx, who represents the state of North Carolina. I presented her with a deputy’s badge and a flag of the Republic of Moldova. Later, after another meeting, we saw Ms. Fox speaking in the Senate with our flag on her chest”.
Institutional cooperation
Within the framework of the work of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP), a bipartisan structure of the U.S. Congress aimed at strengthening legislative institutions around the world, Angela Kutasevic, MP from the Alternative Bloc, emphasized the importance of institutional cooperation: “HDP supports partner parliaments through the exchange of experience, technical assistance and training of MPs and staff. We discuss issues of transparency, parliamentary control, budget analysis and interaction with citizens. For Moldova, this cooperation is of particular importance: in 2022, the Moldovan Parliament and HDP signed a Memorandum of Understanding, providing an institutional framework for continuous dialog.
The principle of mutual respect
PCRM MP Alla Ursu-Antoc, commenting on the visit, emphasized the need to build relations on the basis of mutual respect: “I believe that Moldova’s relations with foreign partners should be built on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit. Only through a balanced and pragmatic dialog, we will be able to achieve concrete results for the benefit of our citizens and the whole country”.
Bipartisan support
Alexandru Berlinschi, Our Party MP, after a series of meetings with representatives of both American parties, emphasized the existence of bipartisan support for Moldova in Congress: “The important message I heard at all the meetings is that Moldova enjoys the support of both parties in the US Congress. In the current difficult regional context, this support is a key element in strengthening the sustainability of our state, attracting investments and stimulating economic growth”.
According to the agenda, the visit to the state of North Carolina will be followed by meetings with Secretary of State Elaine Marshall. The program also includes visits to the North Carolina General Assembly, the Department of Commerce and Economic Development, the Supreme Court and the state’s Election Commission.
It should be recalled that a similar visit to the People’s Republic of China took place from April 21 to April 30 at the invitation of the Chinese side. The delegation, which also included representatives of all parliamentary factions, was impressed by Chinese technologies, the concept of “smart” cities and the development model that allowed to turn a fishing village into a metropolis with an economy worth hundreds of billions of dollars in 40 years.
