Interlic.md

Romania's Prime Minister Victor Ponta is paying a one-day working visit to Chisinau, the Republic of Moldova, on Friday. Ponta's agenda includes meetings with President of the Republic of Moldova Nicolae Timofti, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Corman. Ponta will also attend the opening of a Moldovan-Romanian Forum called "Promotion of Joint Participation in European Programmes in Science and Education."

The Romanian delegation, headed by Ponta, includes Deputy Prime Minister Liviu Dragnea, Education Minister Remus Pricopie, Minister-delegate for Higher Education Mihnea Costoiu, Minister-delegate for Budget Liviu Voinea and State Secretary with the Interior Ministry Raed Arafat. MPs Viorel Hrebenciuc and Ecaterina Andronescu of the Social Democratic Party (PSD) are also part of the retinue.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Romania's Government passed an emergency ordinance setting up a financial mechanism for the implementation of a governmental agreement between Romania and Moldova on a programme of technical and financial assistance providing non-refundable financial aid worth 100 million euros.

The representatives of the national coordination authorities of both countries will convene on half-yearly basis, alternatively in Romania and the Republic of Moldova, to monitor the developments in the projects included in the annual cooperation programme that are approved to be funded by the two governments.