Moldovan government approves plan for cooperation with NATO

CHISINAU (RIA Novosti): At a meeting on Wednesday, the Moldovan government approved an individual plan for cooperation with NATO for 2022-2023, aimed at modernizing the country’s security system, RIA Novosti correspondent reports.
The Cabinet of Ministers unanimously approved a plan for cooperation with NATO for the next two years. Due to the worsening epidemiological situation, the meeting was held online and was broadcast on the government website.
“The goal of the individual plan for the development of cooperation within the framework of partnership with NATO for 2022-2023 is to gain experience and assistance from the alliance in the areas of modernizing the country’s defense and security system, finding ways to respond to new threats, such as cyber attacks, terrorism,” the Deputy Prime Minister said. , Foreign Minister Nikolai Popescu , who presented the project to colleagues.
He noted that the emphasis will be placed on modernizing the country’s security system, as well as lau-nching a new professional development program for experts in this field. Accor-ding to the Deputy Prime Minister, the plan was drawn up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the basis of consultations with the NATO secretariat and the relevant ministries of all countries that are members of the alliance.
“I want to note that cooperation with NATO does not contradict the principle of our country’s neutrality. Similar plans have been drawn up in Moldova since 2006, they have been updated every two years, so there are no new goals in the document,” Popescu added.
According to the constitution of Moldova, the republic has a neutral status, but since 1994 the country has been cooperating with NATO as part of an individual partnership plan. The information center of the alliance operates in the capital of Moldova. In December 2017, a NATO liaison office was opened in Chisinau . Public opinion polls show that more than 60% of the population is against Moldova joining the alliance.