Moldovan Prime Minister Vasily Tofan assessed his country's economic and political relations with Türkiye. Tofan said the two countries aim to increase their two-way trade volume to $2 billion in the coming years.
Call for Turkish companies to invest
Describing relations between Türkiye and Moldova as “excellent,” Tofan thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his interest in Moldova and for being a reliable partner to the country.
Tofan said Turkish companies make a significant contribution to Moldova's economy and that approximately 1,200 Turkish companies operate in the country. He noted that these companies work in areas such as road construction, energy, hospitality and health tourism.
The Moldovan prime minister said they wanted to see more Turkish investment and noted that his country was well suited to receive investment from Türkiye.
Moldova aims to become an export platform for the European Union
Tofan said Moldova was advancing along the path toward integration with the European Union and could serve as a gateway to the EU market, as well as an export platform, for Turkish companies.
Tofan said Turkish industry could manufacture goods in Moldova and benefit from the free-trade agreements signed with the European Union and other partners. He added that they wanted to attract more production facilities to the country.
Trade volume could double in two years
Tofan said trade volume between Türkiye and Moldova had reached approximately $1 billion, equivalent to around 5% of Moldova's gross domestic product. He described Türkiye as one of the region's leading industrial countries and noted that Moldova imports a wide range of products from Türkiye.
Tofan said annual growth of approximately 20–25% would be sufficient to double the trade volume. He added that if annual growth reached around 24%, the volume could double within two years. He described the target as ambitious but achievable.
Focus on energy investment and Gagauzia
Tofan said Moldova was making rapid progress in renewable energy and announced that the share of energy generated from renewable sources had exceeded 30% of total production. He said Turkish companies were investing in Moldova's energy sector and invited more firms to invest in the field.
Tofan said Moldova could become a reliable partner in exporting electricity to the region. He noted that the country's electricity deficit represented an opportunity for Turkish companies seeking to build renewable energy plants, adding that electricity generated at these facilities could be exported to countries in the region, including Ukraine.
The Moldovan prime minister said the Gagauz people formed a bridge between Moldova and Türkiye and that preserving the community's national identity was important. Tofan said the Gagauz speak Turkish and constitute a valuable minority for Moldova. He added that the Chisinau administration would welcome a stronger geopolitical presence for Türkiye in Moldova, particularly through strengthening the Gagauzia–Türkiye relationship.
Istanbul visit and tourism ties
Tofan said his visit to Istanbul was special and recounted that he had promised his eldest son they would swim across the Bosphorus together. He added that he had also decided to hold meetings with business representatives in Istanbul and called on Turkish investors to invest in Moldova.
Tofan said approximately 400,000 Moldovan citizens choose Türkiye for their holidays each year and invited Turkish tourists to discover Moldova's natural and cultural attractions.
Entry of Turkish citizens into the country
Tofan expressed regret over occasional problems faced by Turkish citizens when entering Moldova and said the authorities had to act cautiously on security matters because of the conflict situation in the region.
Tofan said he had asked security services and border police to respect people's rights and stressed that similar incidents should be minimized. He said steps would be taken to resolve the problems faced by Turkish citizens and to ensure that people who comply with the rules and travel to Moldova can visit the country without difficulty.
Moldova's position on the war in Ukraine
Assessing the impact of the war between Russia and Ukraine on Moldova, Tofan said the Chisinau administration had firmly condemned Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine.
Tofan said Moldova wanted to preserve its neutral status but nevertheless openly supported Ukraine. He also said Moldova wanted Türkiye's role in the region to be strengthened.
