Romanian PM Luca Niculescu makes first foreign trip to Chișinău, meeting Maia Sandu and Vasile Tofan

Morning schedule

Romanian Prime Minister Luca Niculescu is due in Chișinău on Tuesday, 27 October, for his first foreign visit since taking office. According to the programme published for the visit, the day begins at 10:00 with a working meeting with staff of the Romanian Consulate General in Chișinău. At 10:45 he is scheduled to meet Archbishop Antonie of Chișinău, who is also Metropolitan of Bessarabia and Exarch of the Plaiurile. At 11:50 he will meet staff of the Romanian Embassy in Moldova, and at 12:30 he is set to hold talks at the embassy with representatives of Romanian companies running investment projects in Moldova. All times are local, as given in the programme.

Talks with Moldova's leadership

Moldovan Prime Minister Vasile Tofan will receive Niculescu at 14:25 with an official ceremony and honour guard at the government headquarters. The two will hold a one-on-one meeting, followed by a plenary session of both delegations, and then a joint press conference at 15:30. The two prime ministers spoke by phone after Niculescu took office and agreed that his first trip abroad would be to Chișinău. In a statement, Niculescu said he was preparing to work intensively on the projects already under way and on identifying new ones.

“We are preparing to work intensively to boost the projects we have under way and to identify new ones.”

Tofan responded in the same exchange, describing Romania in terms of partnership and support for Moldova's path toward Europe.

“Romania is a trusted partner and constant support on our European path.”

Energy site and final meetings

At 16:15 Niculescu and Tofan are to visit the Chișinău Electric Station and the Vulcănești-Chișinău power line. The programme then has Niculescu meeting Igor Grosu, president of the Moldovan Parliament, and President Maia Sandu at the Presidency. The order of these two meetings differs between versions of the schedule. Most versions list Grosu at 17:00 and Sandu at 18:00, while Mediafax's version reverses them, placing Sandu at 17:00 and Grosu at 18:00. That version also states that Niculescu will sign the Golden Book at the close of his meeting with Grosu, a step the other versions do not mention.