President Komorowski champions Moldovan integration with the West

President of Poland Bronislaw Komorowski and President of Moldova Nicolae Timofti: photo - EPA/ Dumitru Doru

“Poland will consistently support Moldova in its path towards integration with the western world, in the hope that the good example of Moldova will have a significant impact on the imagination of the entire region,” Komorowski said on Monday in a joint press conference given with President of Moldova Nicolae Timofti, as quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

Komorowski specified that Poland would “encourage EU institutions to introduce visa-free travel with the country as soon as possible.”

Furthermore, he expressed his hope that Moldova will be able to sign an association agreement - a treaty by which non-EU members gain privileges in economic, political and cultural spheres – in 2013.

Komorowski indicated that the signing of this and a free trade agreement could take place prior to the Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius in November 2013.

The Polish-led initiative of the Eastern Partnership aims to provide a forum for discussing strategic partnerships between with countries on the EU's eastern fringe, taking in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

“We hope that Poland will continue to support Moldova during the Vilnius summit,” Timofti said, describing Poland as "a country of success during the time of economic crisis and a significant country in the EU.”

Komorowski completed his visit on Monday at the Moldova's Academy of Sciences, where he was awarded with an honorary doctorate. (nh)