German president urges support for Moldova's reforms

Germany would offer its full support to the Moldovan government's reform programme, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Thursday, the final day of his visit to the eastern European republic, reported dpa.

"For us, this is not a faraway country... For us, this is a country on the European Union's external borders, and we as Europeans must have an interest in having a stable political and economic situation on our eastern borders," he said.

Steinmeier said that the lack of reliable institutions to push through the reform process initiated by President Maia Sandu posed a major problem for the former Soviet Republic. Germany could assist in training the necessary administrative personnel, he said.

On a visit to a training school near Chisinau, Steinmeier spoke to representatives of German companies active in Moldova, encouraging them to add to the 9,000 Moldovan staff they currently employ.

"The political conditions are favourable at the moment," Steinmeier said, adding that Moldova was in the process of change and on the road to stability.

Sandu has pushed for closer links between the republic and the EU after taking over from her pro-Russian predecessor, Igor Dodon, following elections in November last year.

A US-trained economist, Sandu has set her sights on battling Moldova's endemic corruption as well as stemming the tide of Moldovans emigrating, which has significantly impacted the country's economy.