Press Release on the Signing of the Tripartite Protocol for Interinstitutional Cooperation

On Friday, November 25, 2011, a new Tripartite Protocol for Interinstitutional Cooperation was signed in Chisinau between the Agency for Payments and Intervention for Agriculture (APIA) , the Agency for Payments for Rural Development and Fisheries (APDRP) of Romania and the Agency for Interventions and Payment for Agriculture (AIPA) of the Republic of Moldova.
The protocol establishes a new cycle of interinstitutional cooperation between the three institutions based on a program for exchange of information on financial assistance and institutional organization, as well as support and assistance for the Moldovan AIPA in setting up uniform policies, practices and procedures for encouraging investments in the agricultural sector, transfer of experience, activities related to the development of the entrepreneurship skills of the youth etc.

In the introductory speech, Mr. Petru MALERU, Director General of the Agency for Payments and Agriculture, underlined the importance of the partnership between AIPA and similar agencies in Romania and listed the results of the one year of interinstitutional cooperation activities launched based on the Collaboration Protocol singed on November 18, 2010. The event was also attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Mr. Vasile BUMACOV, who emphasized the need to continuously improve the agricultural producers’ subsidizing system, and referred to the results achieved by the Agency for Interventions and Payment for Agriculture, which in a relatively short period proved that this institution is very efficient, functional and operational. He also mentioned Romania’s good practices and the experience in ensuring the implementation and management of the European Funds, and appreciated the results of the neighbour country in the efficient capitalization and management of such funds, underlying also the need for further cooperation with similar institutions in Romania with a view to improve and develop the system of financial incentives for Moldovan agricultural producers. This will facilitate the development of AIPA’s institutional capacities to manage the potential European funds that are usually available for EU candidate countries.

Both speeches of the Deputy Director General of the Agency for Payments for Rural Development and Fisheries (APDRP), Mr Octavian Ciprian ALIC and of the Deputy Director General of the Agency of Interventions and Payment for Agriculture of Romania, Mr Nicolae SERGHIU reiterated the need to continue and to enhance the cooperation activities. They appreciated the activity of AIPA, which recorded significant results during the last year in terms of organisational activity, management of funds etc. The officials also mentioned that the following cooperation activities would include new projects and actions involving farmer groups, including young entrepreneurs, such activities resulting in the identification of new markets, negotiation possibilities, adapted production possibilities, new business development opportunities etc.
The president of the Young Entrepreneurs Association of Romania Mr. Florin JIANU was also part of the Romanian delegation. He emphasized the need for the young entrepreneurs to associate in order to promote their interests, create new possibilities for funding from the European funds, developing business management capacities and stated that Moldova also needs to create such association of young entrepreneurs to promote and protect the interests of this category of entrepreneurs.
It should be noted that AIPA’s institutional development activities are implemented with the financial support of the World Bank. Mrs Olga Sainciuc, WB representative invited to the event, highly appreciated AIPA’s activities and reiterated that the World Bank would continue to support the activities carried out with the aim to develop AIPA’s institutional capacities.
Continuing the series of bilateral contracts signed in the previous years, the Cooperation Protocol is a reconfirmation of the fast progress of Romanian-Moldovan relations overall, in agricultural area in particular.