Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa and Moldovan counterpart Vasile Tarlev on Wednesday called for stronger business ties between the two countries in an effort to boost the currently modest volume of trade.
Trade is modest but it it growing, Jansa told the press after the meeting, adding that a memorandum of understanding between the two economy ministries, which was signed, would contribute to growth.
The visit - the first meeting of heads of government since the two countries established diplomatic ties 15 years ago - would definitely boost cooperation, Tarlev added.
Tarlev said that Moldova was interested in cooperation in electronics, IT, pharmaceuticals, and transport.
He said Slovenian businessmen willing to invest in Moldova would be offered assistance in overcoming potential hurdles.
Talks also touched on EU enlargement and Slovenia's presidency of the bloc in the first half of 2008.
Slovenia supports the EU's open-door policy and it encouraged Moldova to persevere on the path of reform, Jansa explained.
The uniting of Europe will not be completed until countries which want to become members do not achieve this goal - after fulfilling all the conditions, Jansa said.
Jansa said Slovenia also offered the services of the Centre for European Perspective, which was established recently and specialises in offering assistance to EU aspirants.
According to Tarlev, Slovenia is a good role model for Moldova, as it carried out political and economic reforms very successfully.
Tarlev also met Deputy Speaker of Parliament Vasja Klavora, with the pair agreeing that relations between the two countries are friendly and that they cooperate well.
According to a press release from the National Assembly, Tarlev thanked Klavora for Slovenia's assistance in the resolution of the Transdniester conflict and in setting up a new customs regime between Moldova and the Ukraine.
When he was the OSCE chairman-in-office in 2005, Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said that any acceptable solution had to fully respect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Moldova, while providing a special status for its Transdniester region.
Klavora meanwhile assured Tarlev that Slovenia would offer all the necessary assistance to Moldova's EU aspirations during its stint as EU president in the first half of 2008.
Tarlev said Moldova wanted to join the EU as soon as possible and was carrying out reforms to that extent. He called for a relaxation of the visa regime for Moldovans and thanked Slovenia for being a member of the group of EU states that recently set up a joint visa centre in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau.
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