Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Monday opened Italy's first embassy in the Republic of Moldova, describing it as ''a symbol of the Italian government's strategic interest'' in the country.
Speaking at an opening ceremony attended by his Moldovan counterpart, Andrei Stratan, Frattini said the embassy would reinforce the presence of Italian businesses with a ''growing interest'' in the infrastructure, transport and agriculture sectors in Moldova.
Frattini said Italy encouraged ''a strong and structural approach'' in Moldova's cooperation with the European Union in order to negotiate ''a really ambitious accord'' that will boost EU investment in the country and bring Moldova ''a step closer'' to joining the union.
''The Italian government is convinced that Moldova has a greater affinity with the EU countries than with central Asian and Caucasian countries,'' he said.
But Frattini said Moldova must continue the process of economic and market reforms and cooperate in the fight against organised crime in order to meet eventual EU membership requirements.
The minister added that the new embassy expected to deal with some 40,000 visa requests over the next year from Moldovans wanting to come to Italy to work under initiatives facilitating free movement between Moldova and the EU.
''Moldovan workers are welcome in Italy as long as they respect the law,'' he said.
The Republic of Moldova declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991.
