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German Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to arrive in Chisinau for a visit seen as crucial for Moldova's efforts toward closer ties with Europe.
 
Merkel, who arrives in the afternoon in the Moldovan capital, should hold talks with Prime Minister Vlad Filat, the leader of the pro-Western leading coalition, and President Nicolae Timofti.
 
She was also scheduled to meet with leaders of Moldova's parliamentary factions.

It was unclear whether Merkel would hold talks with former President Vladimir Voronin, the leader of the opposition communists -- the largest party in Moldova's 101-seat parliament.
 
Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries, and commentators see Merkel's visit as a sign of support for Moldova's aspirations of European Union integration.
 
"Because of Germany's influence in the European Union, Moldova's EU integration prospects may get a new chance...depending mainly [on] Moldova's domestic performance" in meeting the membership criteria, analyst Vlad Socor of the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation told RFE/RL.

Transdniester Also On Agenda
 
Merkel and Filat were also expected to discuss the current status of negotiations in the dispute between Moldova and its breakaway Transdniester region. They were due to hold a joint news conference after their meeting.
 
Pro-Russian Transdniester declared independence from Moldova in 1990 amid fears of reunification with neighboring Romania.
 
Much of Moldova was part of Romania before World War II, and more than 60 percent of Moldova's 4.5 million inhabitants are Romanian-speaking.
 
Moldova and Transdniester fought a short war in 1992, curbed by the intervention of Russian troops stationed in Transdniester. Around 1,000 people were killed in that conflict.
 
Successive efforts to resolve the dispute under the mediation of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have failed.
 
Russia still maintains some 1,000 troops in Transdniester, whose main task is to guard the huge arsenal left in the region from the Soviet era.

The German chancellor was also scheduled to deliver a speech at the Palace of the Republic.

By RFE/RL