Check against delivery! 

Thank you, dear Minister of Defence [Anatolie Nosatîi]. Thank you, dear Minister of Foreign Affairs [and European Integration, Deputy Prime Minister, Nicu Popescu]. 

I want to say hello to all representatives of local authorities and institutions, to distinguished guests and partners of this ceremony. I am very glad to be here, at this impressive, I would not say beautiful, but really impressive - Museum of the National Army, which is also the Museum of History of Moldova.  

I am here to demonstrate our firm support to Moldova. But our support should not be something abstract. I want to present concrete, visible and tangible results of our security and defence cooperation.  We have seen it, we have touched it – we have even weighed [it]. We are handing over this first [batch of] equipment provided through the European Peace Facility (EPF) to Moldova. 

It will support the military medical and explosive ordnance disposal capacities of your national army.  It includes drones, laptops, Explosive Ordnance Disposal suits, ultrasound machines, individual protection kits and surgery sets. As you see, there is no lethal [equipment].  But an army is something more just than arms. Behind the arms, there is a lot of logistics, a lot of surgery, transport, fueling, control, observation capacities. And this is what we try to support you to develop. 

And this is just the start, Minister. This is just the start. It is part of a first step of our support under the European Peace Facility, which amounts to €87 million. But more equipment will come in the next months, [such as] ambulances, mobile demining robots, metal detectors, radios, radars. Our support will continue to reflect the challenges that Moldova is facing.  

Our support will be responding to the emergencies provoked by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and we will provide you, as I said, for example, with an air surveillance radar. Someone asked me: “How can you protect us?”. Well, [by] looking at what is happening in the sky. This is [why] surveillance radars are very much needed. This will enhance Moldova’s air security in the future. This support will help modernise Moldova’s defence sector and will build your capacity to take part in our civilian and military missions around the world, contributing to our peace-building efforts.  

As I said, our support from the European Peace Facility is just one part of our comprehensive cooperation on security and defence. Moments ago, earlier today, together with you, dear Minister, we officially inaugurated the new civilian mission to Moldova (European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova), where European experts will be working jointly with Moldovan counterparts to enhance Moldova’s capacity in cybersecurity, in combatting hybrid threats, and countering disinformation.  Last month, we established a new sanctions regime to target those involved in attempts to destabilise the country and immediately after – yesterday - we sanctioned the first group of individuals. 

Dear Ministers, we will continue working jointly. We will contribute to the security, stability, and prosperity of both Moldova and its people, that have endured this history that this Museum keeps the memory of – [an] impressive memory of the sufferance of the Moldovan people on their way to their independence – and making you stronger. As I said, we – also - will be stronger and [more] secure. 

Thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-241890 (remarks start at 12:50”)