VIDEO // Moldova, German state of Bavaria to establish intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation

Moldova and the German state of Bavaria will establish an intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation, meant to turn the political relations between the two sides into more investments, jobs and business opportunities. President Maia Sandu today made statements to this effect, during a joint press conference with Minister-President of Bavaria Markus Söder.

The head of state noted that Germany is one of the most important partners of  Moldova and the support provided by this country had, in recent years, contributed to strengthening security, modernizing the economy and increasing the resilience of state institutions.

“I am pleased to welcome you to Moldova, on the occasion of your first visit to our country. In recent years, I have had the opportunity to be more times in Munich, the capital of Bavaria. I am all the more pleased that today we can continue our dialogue here in Chisinau. Bavaria holds an important place in Germany and in Europe through the strength of its economy, its capacity for innovation and its contribution to European prosperity. Moldova has much to learn from Bavaria, including in such areas as advanced technology industries, agriculture and regional development. Germany is one of the most important partners of our country. In recent years, German support has contributed to the security of Moldova, to strengthening our defense capabilities and the resilience of institutions, to the modernization of the economy and to overcoming the energy crisis,” said Maia Sandu.

The Moldovan president stressed that Germany’s support is important in the context of the European path of Moldova, noting that the authorities in Chisinau aim to open negotiations on all clusters and to implement the reforms necessary for accession to the European Union.

“We do not expect shortcuts or exceptions. We want a merit-based process, in which the progress of each candidate is evaluated according to the reforms it carries out. At the same time, we need our partners to be ready to move forward with the same determination, so that the work done leads to results. In the current geopolitical context, the speed with which we manage to bring Moldova closer to the European Union is important for the security of our country, as well as for the security of the entire continent,” Maia Sandu emphasized.

During the discussions, the head of state also spoke about the economic relations between Moldova and Bavaria. According to her, the establishment of an intergovernmental commission is a natural step for developing economic cooperation.

“Today, we also discussed how we can turn our very good political relationship into more investments, jobs, and business opportunities. In this regard, we agreed on the establishment of an intergovernmental commission for economic cooperation between Moldova and Bavaria,” the president said.

Maia Sandu noted that Bavaria plays an important role in Moldova’s trade relations with Germany. More than half of Moldovan exports to the German market go to this state, and in 2025 Moldova’s exports to Bavaria increased by over 50 per cent, compared to the previous year, reaching 73 million euros.

“We have a solid foundation, but there is room for better, for more. We want more Moldovan companies to enter Bavarian value chains and more Bavarian companies to discover the advantages of investing and producing in Moldova, as we are increasingly integrated into the European market. We can offer Bavarian companies a competitive platform, close to the main markets of the European Union. Last but not least, our economic cooperation can also contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine. Moldova can serve as a bridge for European companies that will participate in this important effort and Bavarian companies have the experience, technology and capacity to play a major role,” Maia Sandu added.

For his part, Minister-President of Bavaria Markus Söder expressed his support for the European path of Moldova and said that the country must have a place in the European Union.

“We believe that we need a strong, united Europe. Moldova is not the largest country, but it is an important one because, from a geostrategic perspective, it has influence. We believe that Moldova must have a place in the European Union,” said Markus Söder.

The Bavarian official praised the efforts of Moldova in the reform process and advocated for a European path based on clear and fair criteria.

“We see that, compared to others, you work very hard, very intensively, and therefore, on the part of Bavaria, we advocate that these processes be not only rapid, but also very correct and fair, because we believe that Moldova belongs in the European Union,” said Markus Söder.

The new intergovernmental commission will have the role of strengthening cooperation between Moldova and Bavaria in such areas as investments, agriculture, modern technologies, the economy and innovation.

Bavaria is the largest German state by area and one of the strongest industrial economies in Europe.

The video of the joint press conference can be viewed on President Maia Sandu’s official Facebook page.