Energy Minister Victor Parlicov, accompanied by State Secretary Cristina Pereteatcu, today held several bilateral meetings with officials from the Nordic countries, present in Chisinau on the occasion of the Moldova Support Platform.

During the meeting with Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Victor Parlicov thanked for the support provided through the Nansen program, which in 2023 amounts to 42 million Euro. Of this, €34 million will supplement the funds provided by the EBRD for the purchase of natural gas, while €8 million is earmarked for strengthening financial resilience and will be allocated through the World Bank.

The parties underlined that energy is a priority in bilateral relations, but they are also open to cooperation on security, competitiveness, the promotion of democratic values and the rule of law. In particular, the parties discussed the launch of cooperation in the field of afforestation, as well as the boosting of Moldovan exports to Norway following Moldova's accession to the EFTA Free Trade Agreement.

At the meeting with the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Ole Thonke, Energy Minister Victor Parlicov welcomed the recent investments of Danish companies in the Republic of Moldova and expressed interest in attracting investors in the field of renewable energy. The parties also discussed the expansion of development cooperation, including the opportunity to organize a bilateral business forum. Denmark's Neighborhood Program for 2023-2026 foresees 24.2 million euro in assistance to Moldova, including for the development of renewable energy and strengthening energy independence.

Minister Victor Parlicov also held talks with Outi Holopainen, Undersecretary of State in the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who expressed hope for continued support from Finland within the Moldova Support Platform, thanking for the support previously provided. They also discussed the strengthening of cooperation in the fields of energy, water treatment and 5G, as well as Finland's support for the afforestation program launched by the Republic of Moldova.

At the same time, Victor Parlicov agreed to carry out a "Nordic tour" in the coming months in order to attract the support of Scandinavian countries for national energy programs.