Sandu on the Loss of € 60 Mln Romanian Aid: Chicu's Cabinet Refused to Sign the Protocol

On Sunday, March 28, the 2010 Romanian agreement on non-repayable financial aid to Moldova in the amount of 100 million euros expired. Head of State Maia Sandu commented on the situation on her Facebook page, tv8.md reports. "During a deep crisis, Moldova is deprived of important financial support. The Government of Bucharest announced tonight the termination of the Agreement on the program of technical and financial assistance based on a grant of financial assistance in the amount of 100 million euros, provided by Romania to the Republic of Moldova in 2010. We have lost more than 60 million euros because the Chisinau government refused to sign an additional protocol required to extend the term of the Agreement," the head of state wrote. Sandu claims more than $ 60 million was lost because the government, led by Ion Chicu, initially refused to sign Protocol No. 6, and the current government also failed to take steps to retain the agreement. "There are 60 million euros that could improve people's lives: through social projects such as rehabilitation and modernization of more than 1,000 kindergartens and schools, or infrastructure projects such as the Iasi-Chisinau gas pipeline and the energy systems interconnection. At first, the Chicu government refused to sign Protocol 6, proposed by the Romanian side in early November 2020 to extend the validity of the Agreement. The current government has also failed to take sufficient steps to preserve the Agreement, citing a lack of parliamentary support. We will try to resume negotiations with the Romanian side on a new aid program in the hope that soon we will have a parliament that will support this program and other programs for the people," President Maia Sandu wrote.