Deputy Prime Minister meets with Secretary General of Central European Initiative

Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi held a meeting today with Secretary General of the Central European Initiative (CEI) Franko Dal Mas, who is on a working visit to the Republic of Moldova. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation within the CEI, in the context of marking 30 years of Moldova’s participation.

Popșoi emphasized the important role of the organization in supporting the country’s European path and expressed appreciation for the projects implemented, including in partnership with the EBRD and Italy, in areas such as infrastructure, energy, digitalization, and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.


“We are grateful for the support provided by the Central European Initiative and for the concrete projects implemented in the Republic of Moldova. We want to further harness this cooperation, including in areas such as infrastructure, energy, and digitalization, as well as in preparation for the reconstruction of Ukraine,” said Popșoi.


The meeting also addressed priorities such as strengthening the rule of law, combating corruption and organized crime, border security, and enhancing resilience to hybrid threats. In this context, the importance of CEI programs, including Falcone-Borsellino was highlighted.

The officials reconfirmed the value of regional cooperation in supporting the European Union accession process, underlining the need to harness the current political momentum to advance accession negotiations.

The Central European Initiative is the oldest and largest intergovernmental forum for regional cooperation in Central Europe, bringing together 16 countries (nine EU Member States and seven candidate countries), which promote political, economic, cultural, and scientific cooperation among its member states. Its core mission is regional cooperation for European integration. The Republic of Moldova joined the Central European Initiative in 1996 and held the CEI Presidency in 2008 and 2023.