Interim mayor of the Capital, Silvia Radu, has participated today, January 24 2018, at events organized to mark 10th anniversary since the Collaboration Agreement was singed between Iași and Chisinau.

The events takes place in Iasi City Hall, Roznovanu Palace, where Mayors of Iaşi and Chisinau, Mihai Chirica and Silvia Radu held a meeting.

Here, interim mayor, Silvia Radu, delivered a speech for this occasion:

Mister Mayor, Officials, Guests, it is a pleasure to be here,

Thank you for organizing this event, in this beautiful place and gathering us today, to celebrate the 10th anniversary since Iași and Chisinau begun collaborating. I cannot begin this speech without first of all saying "Congratulations!", as today you celebrate the creation of the Romanian United Principalities, in 1859, which stood as the pillars to modern Romania.

It has been 10 years since we begun collaborating, and today, we will celebrate by launching an anniversary postage stamps, serving as symbol of those beautiful relations. At the same time, it has another important role, namely, to be left to our descendants, as proof that their ancestors knew how to take steps to collaborate among their cities, their people, disregarding the distance and guarantees.

Today, through this Postage Stamp, we speak to future generations that have yet to come, we are creating a time capsule, with the message: "continue on our path and see it through."

For those possibilities, I must also express gratitude toward the administration of Romfilatelia and Poșta Moldovei, for their efforts to commemorate those 10 years of brotherhood.

Mister Mayor, Honorable Guests,

Those were 10 years filled with development. The number of cultural events grew, we organized together the Festival of Grigore Vieru's Poems, we celebrated the day when Republic of Moldova signed the European Union Association Agreement. We organized Iași TVR Galas in Chisinau, participated in the International Festival of Education, supported by Iași City Hall, have launched together numerous books.

We must not stray from this path. I believe, that now, with the launching of European financing programs - and here I speak of the Joint Operational Program Romania - Republic of Moldova, through the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI) - we can begin working on joint development programs. Iași and Chișinău must both continue to develop, while those European programs can ensure us with the needed finances. We can work together. We can set common aim, and why not. We can even dream of a highway tying our two cities to be built.

When Republic of Moldova signed the European Union Association Agreement, the number of Moldovan tourists got bigger, the export grew, the trade between Moldova and Romania increased. We, as the local administration, must take those things into consideration and adapt, to meet the citizens' expectations from both countries and ensure better infrastructure.

We hope to step into a new age and assure you, Mister Mayor, that Chisinau City Hall is open for any collaboration to achieve those aims.