OREANDA-NEWS. January 30, 2013. Prime Minister Vlad Filat met newly-appointed Italian Ambassador to Moldova Enrico Nunziata, the government's communication and media relations department has reported.

Filat congratulated Nuziata on the occasion of his investiture, stressing that the two states have strong and diversified relations. Filat thanked the Italian government for the provided support and for the friendly attitude towards the consolidation of these ties.

"We have a good cooperation, including with the Italian embassy in Chisinau. We hope that our relations will further keep the same pace, based on the European values and principles. Moldova will ensure the same openness for a constructive collaboration in the future," Vlad Fila said.

For his part, Enrico Nunziata thanked Filat for openness and assured that the Italian government will back Moldova's European integration.

"Italy is committed to firmly back Moldova on its path of joining the European bodies, including the liberalization of the visa regime. This thing is relevant when it comes to the immigration of Moldovan citizens to Italy. We ascertain that Moldovans enter Italy mainly on the basis of the legal bilateral agreements and the percentage of those whose visa applications were refused is lower and decreases year on year," Enrico Nunziata said.

At the same time, Nunziata underlined that Italy wants Moldova to attain the European Union's standards, noting that his mission will focus on speeding up the process of attracting Italian investments to Moldova.

Nunziata also noted that the conditions necessary to attract Italian investors do exist in Moldova, but one of the objectives, along his mandate, will be the evaluation of these investors and ensuring their objective and transparent flow on Moldova's market, in order to ensure a mutually favourable economic cooperation.

"The presence of Italian investors in Moldova is welcomed and the Italian embassy will take care that those wishing to invest in this country would not come with purely personal aims, but will also offer something in return. In this respect, the embassy will monitor the activity of the Italian businessmen and will consolidate their entrepreneurial capacity," Enrico Nunziata said.

Nunziata underscored the importance of setting an efficient communication between the chambers of commerce and industry of the two states, which would facilitate the bilateral economic collaboration.

Filat praised the availability of the Italian side to develop economic ties, stressing that the presence of the Italian capital on the Moldovan market is consistent, with about 512 Italian enterprises operating in Moldova.

At the same time, Filat emphasized the importance of stepping up cooperation between the Italian and Moldovan investors, specifying that investments are a priority both for the private sector and the Moldovan government.

Vlad Filat also noted the importance of completing the negotiations between the two states on an agreement on readmission of illegal migrants and the agreement on labour migration.

Filat wished Nunziata success with his mandate, which will contribute to the enhancement of the Moldovan-Italian relations.