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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is giving to (a) the economic progress of Moldova and (b) the development of democracy there. [187044] Mr. MacShane: The UK supports economic reform and democratic development in Moldova, including through EU programmes. Moldova is a priority country for the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), launched by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in spring 2002 as the Wider Europe initiative. The ENP offers the new neighbours of the enlarged EU greater integration, including deeper trade and economic relations, in return for economic and political reforms. Our embassy in Chisinau continues to support democratic development and good governance and will support several projects in the run up to elections in early 2005. In addition to Foreign and Commonwealth Office assistance, the Department for International Development's bilateral programme for Moldova contributed £8.4 million between 2000 and 2003. The planned programme contribution for 2004 is £2.3 million. The UK also supports the IMF, World Bank, and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in their efforts to promote economic reform in Moldova. Since 1991, the EU has provided assistance to Moldova totalling Euros 253 million including technical assistance under the TACIS programme.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

424 c1266-7W;424 c1274-5W; 187044

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Development aid Democracy Economic growth EU grants and loans TACIS programme Moldova

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk