Romania to Provide the Metropolis of Bessarabia with €2 Mln of Annual Aid

Metropolitan Petru of Bessarabia met with Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The parties discussed a draft law according to which Romanian government will provide the Metropolis of Bessarabia with annual aid of 2 million euros. This was reported by the Metropolis of Bessarabia. According to it, the aid will be guaranteed and will be granted starting from 2024, g4media.ro reports. “The purpose of this important meeting, held on 28 September 2023, was to discuss the projects and initiatives to be implemented in Bessarabia from 1 January 2024 with the support and financial assistance of the Romanian government. In particular, the draft law according to which the Metropolis of Bessarabia will receive guaranteed financial support of €2 million per year from the Romanian government from 2024 onwards. His Eminence highlighted the problems faced by the Romanian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova and the need to help in its development, in order to serve the Romanian Orthodox community with greater efficiency and commitment. In the course of dialogue, the importance of close cooperation between the Church and the state in promoting moral, spiritual and original values was outlined. Advisor for relations with state institutions of the Metropolis of Bessarabia, Father Archdeacon Maxim Sturza, presented future initiatives aimed at social, missionary, cultural development of the Metropolis, paying special attention to education, social assistance, protection of cultural values, heritage and support for families in difficult situations,” a press release of the Metropolis of Bessarabia said. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu warmly welcomed the Romanian Church’s efforts to support the Orthodox communities in Moldova and expressed the Romanian government’s willingness to provide significant support to the Church’s activity.