Thirty-five years ago, Moldova chose independence.
Today, the country stands at another defining point in its history.
The first chapter established a sovereign state. The next must turn that independence into lasting security, prosperity and European integration.
As Honorary Consul of the Republic of Moldova in Manchester, I congratulate Moldova and all Moldovans on this important national anniversary.
La mulți ani, Republica Moldova! La mulți ani tuturor moldovenilor, oriunde s-ar afla!
This celebration belongs to people at home and across the world.
However, Independence Day should offer more than a moment of national pride. It should also invite us to consider the country that Moldova can become.
Thirty-five years of courage and change
On 27 August 1991, Moldova proclaimed its independence.
Since then, its people have built institutions, businesses, communities and international partnerships through periods of great change.
Progress has not followed a straight line.
Moldova has faced economic hardship, political uncertainty, population loss and the unresolved Transnistrian conflict.
More recently, Russia’s war against Ukraine has placed huge pressure on the region. Moldovans have also faced energy insecurity, rising costs and sustained attempts to weaken their democratic choices.
Yet the country has endured.
Sovereignty has required more than a declaration. Every generation has had to protect it through democratic participation, public service, enterprise, cultural confidence and international cooperation.
That resilience deserves recognition today.
Independence created the right to choose
Moldova’s independence gave its citizens the power to decide their national direction.
European integration now represents the clearest expression of that choice.
The country gained EU candidate status in June 2022. Formal accession negotiations began in June 2024.
During 2026, that process entered a more detailed phase. Negotiations opened on the fundamentals cluster in June, followed by the external relations cluster in July. The second area covers trade, foreign policy, security and defence. The Council of the European Union records Moldova’s accession progress here.
Membership will not arrive through slogans.
Instead, accession requires stronger institutions, independent justice, competitive markets, effective regulation and confidence in the rule of law.
Those reforms matter to citizens. They also matter to investors.
Companies need predictable decisions, reliable contracts and transparent public administration. Banks, insurers and legal advisers need standards they can assess. Universities need trustworthy partners for research and exchange.
Therefore, Moldova’s European journey represents both a national project and an economic programme.
The EU’s Reform and Growth Facility offers up to €1.9 billion for reforms and economic growth between 2025 and 2027. Funding depends on Moldova meeting agreed reform conditions. The European Commission explains the facility and its conditions.
That condition matters.
Investment should support accountable change, not simply higher spending.
A country of enterprise and international potential
Moldova has built economic strengths that deserve wider recognition.
Its companies export wine, fruit, food products, textiles, electrical goods, technology and professional services.
A skilled and multilingual workforce supports information technology, business services, engineering, manufacturing and creative industries.
Digital transformation has also changed the way citizens and companies interact with the state.
Meanwhile, entrepreneurs continue to create businesses despite the limits of a small domestic market.
Size does not define Moldova’s full commercial value.
The country sits between Romania and Ukraine. It trades through agreements with the United Kingdom and European partners. Its businesses understand both eastern and western markets.
In April 2026, the latest UK-Moldova trade dialogue recognised growing and more diverse Moldovan exports to Britain. Textiles, agri-food products, wine and electrical goods featured among the important sectors. The UK Government published the joint trade dialogue minutes.
British companies should now examine where their expertise can support Moldova’s next stage.
Opportunities exist across:
- Agritech and food production
- Energy and renewable technologies
- Infrastructure and logistics
- Information technology and digital services
- Automotive and advanced manufacturing
- Pharmaceuticals
- Textiles
- Waste and food-waste solutions
- Insurance, finance, law and compliance
- Education, research and professional training
Investment must work for both countries.
Moldova gains capital, knowledge, jobs and access to international markets. British firms gain trusted partners, new customers and an early position in a changing region.
Visit Moldova before you judge its potential
No report can fully explain Moldova.
Visitors need to see its vineyards, villages, monasteries, cities and businesses.
They should taste its food, meet its entrepreneurs and experience its hospitality.
Tourism also creates economic value beyond hotels and restaurants. It supports rural producers, craftspeople, wineries, transport providers, cultural institutions and local communities.
Official figures show that Moldova’s tourist accommodation establishments welcomed 525,100 visitors in 2025, an increase of 10.7 per cent from 2024. Agrotourism and tourist pensions recorded particularly strong growth. Moldova’s National Bureau of Statistics provides the figures.
Consequently, better air connectivity matters.
I helped build the business and community case for the Liverpool-Chisinau service launched in 2020 and the Manchester-Chisinau service launched in 2024.
Both routes now remain suspended for different reasons, including pressures associated with the war in Ukraine.
Nevertheless, they demonstrated demand.
Restoring a sustainable direct link between Northern England and Moldova would benefit:
- Diaspora families
- Business travellers
- Tourists
- Universities
- Exporters and importers
- Airports
- Freight and logistics companies
- Cultural and civic partnerships
An air route does not simply connect two airports. It can connect two economies.
The diaspora carries independence across borders
For Moldovans living in the United Kingdom, Independence Day holds a special meaning.
Distance often strengthens our awareness of identity.
We preserve language, culture, food and traditions. At the same time, we build careers, companies and communities in our adopted country.
My own journey from Moldova to the United Kingdom has shaped my understanding of both nations.
Since 1998, I have worked to connect people, businesses and institutions across languages and borders.
Serving as Honorary Consul now gives that work a wider responsibility.
My role involves supporting Moldova’s interests, strengthening economic and cultural relations, encouraging investment and maintaining close cooperation with the diaspora.
On 7 September 2026, I will join the Independence Day celebrations organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in London.
That occasion will allow us to honour our shared past.
More importantly, it should renew our commitment to Moldova’s future.
Diaspora members can contribute through:
- Investment and entrepreneurship
- Business introductions
- Tourism promotion
- Academic cooperation
- Mentoring and skills transfer
- Cultural diplomacy
- Community leadership
- Support for Moldovan exports
Remittances remain important. Yet the diaspora can offer far more than money.
Knowledge, reputation and trusted networks can reduce the distance between markets.
Moldova can support Ukraine’s reconstruction
Independence also brings regional responsibility.
Moldova has supported Ukraine while managing the effects of war on its own economy and security.
Looking ahead, the country can contribute to reconstruction through logistics, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and cross-border partnerships.
A recent Invest Moldova analysis describes the country as a potential gateway economy. It highlights the natural corridor linking Moldova with the Ukrainian regions of Odesa, Vinnytsia and Chernivtsi, Romania and the wider European Union. Invest Moldova sets out the strategic case.
Moldova will not finance Ukraine’s recovery.
However, it can help international companies operate closer to future projects, build regional partnerships and move people, goods and expertise across borders.
Accordingly, UK businesses interested in Ukraine’s reconstruction should assess Moldova now as a possible operational, logistics and partnership base.
Early engagement allows companies to understand the market before competition intensifies.
From anniversary messages to economic action
National celebrations look backwards by nature.
Thought leadership must also look ahead.
My priority as Honorary Consul will involve turning goodwill into practical cooperation between Moldova and the North West of England.
That work includes:
- Promoting bilateral trade and investment
- Supporting business and institutional introductions
- Encouraging tourism and direct air connectivity
- Building stronger diaspora engagement
- Developing academic and cultural partnerships
- Presenting Moldova as a credible regional partner
- Helping British organisations understand its opportunities
Together with Paul Kallee-Grover MBE, I will lead a UK Trade Mission to Moldova from 27 September to 2 October 2026.
The programme will coincide with Moldova Business Week and accept no more than ten selected UK businesses.
Delegates will explore the market directly, meet relevant contacts and assess commercial opportunities across a range of sectors.
Further details appear on the UK Trade Mission information page.
Interested organisations should contact me at RM.Honorary.Consul@gmail.com. We will discuss participation fees and commercial terms privately.
The next chapter starts now
Moldova should celebrate its achievements with confidence.
The country has protected its independence, strengthened its international voice and chosen a European direction.
Serious challenges remain.
Still, national confidence does not require us to deny difficulty. It requires us to face difficulty with purpose.
Moldova’s next chapter should create stronger institutions, better jobs, competitive businesses and meaningful opportunities for young people.
International partners can help, but Moldovans must lead that work.
For businesses, the message is clear: look beyond population size and study Moldova’s strategic position.
For investors, examine the reforms, talent and regional connections.
For universities, seek partners in research, education and innovation.
For tourists, visit with curiosity and return as advocates.
For the diaspora, remain connected and turn experience into contribution.
Thirty-five years after independence, Moldova no longer needs the world merely to notice it.
The country needs serious partners who understand where it is going.
La mulți ani, Republica Moldova!
May independence remain our foundation, European integration become our shared national project, and prosperity become an experience enjoyed by every citizen.
This article introduces the “Moldova at 35: From Independence to European Integration” theme within my wider thought leadership work on economic diplomacy, investment diplomacy and UK-Moldova cooperation.
Readers can follow my work through:
Express Language Solutions Ltd and Moldovan Diaspora Business Alliance Ltd sponsored this article.
I thank ELS and MDBA for their continued support of UK-Moldova trade, diaspora engagement and investment diplomacy.
Organisations interested in sponsoring future articles, bilateral initiatives or community projects can contact me privately at RM.Honorary.Consul@gmail.com.