Stoicescu acknowledged the great strides made by Moldova but pointed out that a lot still remains to be done. “Estonia knows from experience that the goal is to make the country more European and worthy of the EU member status. The objective is not to please someone else, but to live in freedom, democracy, and the rule of law after one’s own convictions,” he said.
Moldova’s natural key partners in national defence and security are its neighbouring countries of Romania and Ukraine.
In Chișinău, Stoicescu met with the Chairman of the parliament’s Committee on National Security, Defense and Public Order Lilian Carp and members of the Committee, and Head of the Friendship Group with the Republic of Estonia Andrian Cheptonar. He also met with the Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri, Minister of Defence Anatolie Nosatîi, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military academy.
The topics included closer cooperation between Estonia and Moldova and preparations for EU integration, but also Russia continuing war of aggression in Ukraine, and regional security situation more broadly.
Stoicescu left Chișinău for Ukraine, where he took part in the Black Sea Security Forum in Odesa.