Moldova: Country Profile

7/24/2019 Moldova: Country Profile

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(Photo: Moscow Times, 2014)

Student: Nejra

Hodi!ourse

"nstructor: Maja Sa#ic$%ojanic!ourse: Pu&'ic i'omac* P+0

Saraje#o Schoo' o- Science and Techno'o.*

1/ ri', 201+

!ountr* ro'e:Mo'do#a

3 TNS"T"5N 56 65M S57"T

STT8"T


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Sandwiched between Romaniaand Ukraine, Moldova is as of the

beaten track as you can get in Euroe! "ttracting #ust a $raction o$

the number o$ visitors o$ neighbouring countries %&',((( to '(,(((annually in recent years), its a natural destination $or travellers who

like to lant the *ag and visit lands $ew others have gone to!

+ut Moldovas charms run deeer than being merely remote! he

countrys wines are some o$ the best in Euroeand a *edgling wine-

tourism industry, where you can tour wineries and taste the grae,

has taken root! he countryside is delight$ully unsoiled and the

hositality o$ villagers is authentic! he caital, .hi/in0u, issurrisingly lively, with e1cellent restaurants and bars! "cross the

2niestr River lies the searatist Russian-seaking region

o$ ransdniestr! 3ts a time-war lace, where the Soviet Union still

reigns sureme and busts o$ 4enin line the main boulevards!5

(8one'* P'anet, 201+)

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!ontent

1/ 9enera' ro'e o- the countr* and its u&'ic di'omac*/

2/ conomic i'omac*: M"P5//////////////////////////////////////////;

/ ecommendations///////////////////////////////////////////////////////12

4/ !onc'usion///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////1

+/ e-erences///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////14

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1/ 9enera' ro'e o- the countr* and its u&'icdi'omac*

The eu&'ic o- Mo'do#a is a 'and'oc>ed astern uroean countr*

that nei.h&ours omania and 3>raine/ The territor* it occuies toda*

most'* resem&'es the 14th centur* &orders, when the indeendent

rincia'it* o- Mo'do#a was rst esta&'ished (Pearson ducation,

201+)/ u o- the So#iet 3nion in

1==1 (%%!, 201+)/ Ne#erthe'ess, the socio$economic in?uence o-

ussia is sti'' stron., with sma'' area ca''ed Transnistria ou'ated &*

&oth ussians and 3>rainians dec'arin. indeendence in 1==0 &utnot &ein. reco.niAed &* most o- the wor'd (Po'*a>o# B ewar,

201+)/2

Therea-ter, the rst eCorts o- u&'ic di'omac* o- Mo'do#a ma* &e

traced &ac> to the eriod o- !o'd @ar when the* concurred to those

o- 3SS/ 9i#en the roa.andist nature o- the con?ict, u&'ic

di'omac* ser#ed the ussian interests in arms, science, cu'ture and

man* other races created to imro#e and e'e#ate the ima.e o- the

1'thou.h the oDcia' 'an.ua.e is Mo'do#an, it dee'* resem&'es omanian in a'' 'in.uisticasects &ut accent and sma'' art o- #oca&u'ar*/ Eet, Mo'do#an citiAens ac>now'ed.ed onthe re-erendum in 200 the e assistance contract -rom the uroean 3nion (i&id)/


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countr* as more ower-u'/ Moreo#er, there was a stru..'e to attract

Third @or'd countries as a''ies in the So#iet sate''ite networ> throu.h

sread o- Mar 'ace with communist and ro.ressi#e

arties c'ashin. uon the uestion o- -uture o- Mo'do#an -orei.n

out'oo> (!" @or'd 6act&oo>, 201+)/ #entua''*, a new course set in

-rom 200= when the ''iance -or uroean "nte.ration came to ower

and en.a.ed in a serious democratiAation o- the countr* (i&id)/

Throu.hout the 'ast cou'e o- *ears, the riorities o- Mo'do#an

-orei.n o'ic* and conseuent'* u&'ic di'omac* were to attract theattention o- the uroean 3nion and mo#e a'on. the road o- the 3

inte.ration as a rosecti#e candidate/ ccordin. to 6reedom House

ran>in.s, Mo'do#a has shown the .reatest imro#ement amon. the

The ussian nancia' crisis in -a'' 1== se#ere'* aCected Mo'do#a, which re'ied on ussia-or ;0 ercent o- its -orei.n trade/ conomic disaster caused an e


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uroean countries in transition (6reedom House, 201+)/4Moldova has

also experienced swift economic growth in recent years. According to

Munteanu, its trade has increased by 40 percent, and in 2010, percent of

Moldovan exports went to the !" mar#et $%arneige !ndownment for

&nternational 'eace, 2011(. )he public diplomacy may have targeted both

regional and global mediain this period since a sharp contrast has occurred in

the news published about the country. At the beginning of the millennium,

Moldavia was still referred to as the poorest !uropean country with communist

rule and serious human traffic#ing issues, whose prospects of *oining the

!uropean "nion were much distanced. &n the last years, the media

characteri+es it by progressive !"path ambitions, economic growth, young

openminded generation, image of the least visited, but turistically attractive

!uropean country as well as -uality wine brands $ee Appendix A / for

comparison of news excerpts(. evertheless, most of the official efforts were

channelled into economic diplomacy with purpose of attracting investment and

representing the epublic of Moldova as a new mar#et economy opened for

cooperation and development.

4"nde< o- -reedom in Mo'do#a is current'* and mo#in. towards 2, as comared to %BH(4), Macedonia (4) and '&ania (,+)/

+Pre#ai'in.'* @estern 'i&era' democracies due to o'itica' desire to attract the interest o-the uroean 3nion and its a''ies, with accent on re.iona' actors

+


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2/ conomic i'omac*: Mo'do#a "n#estment and


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%oming to Moldova $visas, customs, entry from )ransnitria,

transport(

!stablishing a business $legislation, procedures, authori+ations(

'remises and infrastructure $7ree !conomic


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7igure >. 7oreign ?irect &nvestment in epublic of Moldova $&nvestment eport, 2014(

Moreover, the economic diplomacy of the country evident through the wor#

of M&!'3 is not limited to promotion on online platforms. &n 7ebruary 201,

the 3rgani+ation launched the first edition ofDiplomatic Economic Club 2015

characteri+ed as @an initiative conceived back in 2013 with the purpose of

nurturin a more intense dialoue with diplomats and forein investors b!

brinin toether representatives of diplomatic missions and bilateral

commercial chambers" bein dedicated to the sharin of first results of

DC#$% &Deep and Comprehensive #ree $rade %reement' with E() $&nvest in

Moldova, 201(* Ministry of !conomy demonstrated the adherence to the

alignment of local framewor#s with !uropean regulations, removal of technical

barriers to trade, simplification of customs procedures and moderni+ation of

energetic sector. imilarly, the government organi+es yearly Moldova IC$

+ummits as @a leadin industr! event aimed to ather all industr!

stakeholders" includin overnment" business" multinationals" professionals

and academia" to discuss trends and challenes facin the IC$ industr!

loball! and in the countr!" and define the roadmap for development and

effective interation of technolo!" as well as the aenda for rowin IC$sector competitiveness$Moldova &%) ummit, 201(. )he event has become


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-uite visited and recogni+ed for a country that was one of the most

underdeveloped in !urope *ust a couple of years bac# $7igure 4(.

6i.ure 4/ Mo'do#a "!T Summit num&ers

)he wor# of M&!'3 and Moldovan Ministry of !conomy also extends on

the social networ#s. )he 7aceboo# page of M&!'3 is not very popular $>2BB

li#es(, but it offers various information about particular Moldovan products,

culture and tourism that might impact the economic life of the country in thefuture. 7or example, one post introduces the wider audiences with Moldovan

traditional anecdote characters called 'CcalC and )DndalC $7igure (. Another

post tal#s about u#et Moldavii, or the alcoholic beverage predeceasing

Martini, that is called so due to a large number of plants used for the

production and has been awarded at numerous contests and international

exhibitions $7igure B(. Also, interesting facts can be found in one of the posts

about a cave monastery of mon#s8 Dpova which is situated on the right ban#of the river istru that forms beautiful waterfalls by flowing through the chal#

cliffs $7igure E(. 3verall, the attempts of Moldova &nvestment and !xport

'romotion 3rgani+ation to establish official public diplomacy of the country

using economic sector are contentrich and diverse.

=


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7igure . Moldovan traditional anecdote characters called 'CcalC and )DndalC9

7igure B. u#et Moldavii 5 predecessor of Martini9

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7igure E. %ave monastery of mon#s8 Dpova on the river istru9

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/ ecommendations

)he current situation may yield mixed outcomes for Moldova. &f the

political stability and economic progress continue, the highest probability is

that the country will continue to pursue !"oriented policies and steps. &n

order to move further in this direction it may have to strengthen its public

diplomacy. )he status -uo would be preserved if Moldova remains committed

to M&!'38s economic diplomacy measures and sets achievable, small goals in

this segment. Fowever, if the more active transformation of regional and global

public opinion about the epublic of Moldova $not only in economic sense( is

desired by the country8s government, more efforts must be vested in public

diplomacy. A shortterm solution would be to launch a campaign that would

gather more followers of M&!'3 on social networ#s and online sites. &n

addition, diplomatic missions abroad could produce promotive material that

would focus on the economic diplomacy and target businessoriented parts of

population in order to expand this already existing branch of public diplomacy.7urthermore, diplomats abroad could slowly expand this campaign into

different subareas such as tourism and culture by targeting different groups.

&n the long term, Moldova8s government could establish a separate, central

agency or body for public diplomacy located in the country and separate

missions within the diplomatic envoys speciali+ed particularly for this area.

)he central body would send instructions and inspect the wor# of its

counterparts over the globe, while the country itself develops public diplomacy

that overarches economy and diversifies into nation branding, exchange and

arts diplomacy. At the beginning, this would be a very expensive option since

the initial period demands most activities. =ater, the personnel si+e could be

reduced and those remaining would wor# on preserving the created image of

the epublic of Moldova.

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4/ !onc'usion

&n conclusion, the epublic of Moldova has wea#ly developed publicdiplomacy. )his is the conse-uence of historical circumstances and less

progressive influence of ussia which continues to demand a portion of

Moldavian territory and produces economic hardships for the country in

international realm. evertheless, Moldova &nvestment and !xport 'romotion

3rgani+ation engages in economic diplomacy and continues to fight for

economic growth the country experienced during the last couple of years.

)hrough online platforms and social networ#s, as well as organi+ation of global

events, this government agency promotes stable and desirable economic

climate in Moldova. till, M&!'3 is not widely #nown nor recogni+ed and

remains a good ground for improvement. As a country that *ust recently began

attracting attention of the !uropean "nion, the epublic of Moldova has

resources that are wellprepared for promotion. &ts future image depends on

the willingness of government to approach and seriously expand public

diplomacy sector.

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+/ e-erences

?empsey, G., 2014. Mo ldova Is ,e-t .att le roun d for /u ss ia an d E(

$photo(. Available

at;Hhttp;66www.themoscowtimes.com6opinion6article6moldovaisnext

ba tt le gr ou ndfor russ iaan deu612I>.h tmlJ. Accessed 2I t hMarch 201.

&nvest in Moldova, 201.%bout Moldova. Available at;Hhttp;66miepo.md6J. Accessed

2IthMarch 201.

Ministry of foreign affairs and !uropean &ntegration of the epublic of

Moldova, 201>.Economic diplomac!*Availableat;Hhttp;66www.mfa.gov.md6foreigneconomicpolicy6J. Accessed 2IthMarch 201.

%arnegie !ndownment for &nternational 'eace, 2011. 20 ears of Moldovan

Independence ookin back and forward. Available at;

Hhttp;66carnegieendowment.org6201161060620yearsofmoldovanindependenceloo#ing

bac#andforward6-drJ. Accessed 2IthMarch 201.

epublic of Moldova, official website, 2011.Econom! and .usiness*Available

at; Hhttp;66www.moldova.md6en6ecobisnes6J. Accessed 2IthMarch 201.

%&A Korld 7actboo#, 201./epublic of Moldova. Available at;Hhttps;66www.cia.gov6library6publications6theworldfactboo#6geos6md.htmlJ. Accessed

2thMarch 201.

'earson !ducation 5 &nfoplease, 201.Moldova. Available at;

Hhttp;66www.infoplease.com6country6moldova.htmlJ. Accessed 2thMarch 201.

'olya#ow / ?ewar, 201.Inside $ransnistria" the breakawa! nation lo!al to

/ussia in pictures &$he uardian'*Available at;

Hhttp;66www.theguardian.com6world6gallery62016*an62B6sptransnistriamoldovarussia

inpicturesJ. Accessed 2thMarch 201.

% news, 201.Moldova Countr! 4rofile*Available at;

Hhttp;66www.bbc.com6news6worldeurope1EB01I0J. Accessed 2thMarch 201.

=onely planet, 201.Introducin Moldova. Available at;

Hhttp;66www.lonelyplanet.com6moldovaLix++>+*?NdutJ. Accessed >0th

March 201.

adio =iberty, 200I./omaniaMoldova6 Divided .! % Common anuae.

Available at; Hhttp;66www.rferl.org6content6article610E14.htmlJ. Accessed >0th

March 201.

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http://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/moldova-is-next-battleground-for-russia-and-eu/512583.htmlhttp://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/moldova-is-next-battleground-for-russia-and-eu/512583.htmlhttp://miepo.md/http://www.mfa.gov.md/foreign-economic-policy/http://carnegieendowment.org/2011/10/05/20-years-of-moldovan-independence-looking-back-and-forward/5qdrhttp://carnegieendowment.org/2011/10/05/20-years-of-moldovan-independence-looking-back-and-forward/5qdrhttp://www.moldova.md/en/ecobisnes/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/md.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/country/moldova.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/jan/26/-sp-transnistria-moldova-russia-in-pictureshttp://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/jan/26/-sp-transnistria-moldova-russia-in-pictureshttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580http://www.lonelyplanet.com/moldova#ixzz3VzjDYduthttp://www.rferl.org/content/article/1079514.htmlhttp://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/moldova-is-next-battleground-for-russia-and-eu/512583.htmlhttp://www.themoscowtimes.com/opinion/article/moldova-is-next-battleground-for-russia-and-eu/512583.htmlhttp://miepo.md/http://www.mfa.gov.md/foreign-economic-policy/http://carnegieendowment.org/2011/10/05/20-years-of-moldovan-independence-looking-back-and-forward/5qdrhttp://carnegieendowment.org/2011/10/05/20-years-of-moldovan-independence-looking-back-and-forward/5qdrhttp://www.moldova.md/en/ecobisnes/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/md.htmlhttp://www.infoplease.com/country/moldova.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/jan/26/-sp-transnistria-moldova-russia-in-pictureshttp://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2015/jan/26/-sp-transnistria-moldova-russia-in-pictureshttp://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580http://www.lonelyplanet.com/moldova#ixzz3VzjDYduthttp://www.rferl.org/content/article/1079514.html


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7(/++ vue du $iers monde, Oarthala, 1I>, $!nglish translation ; $he +oviet (nion

and the $hird 8orld, 0thMarch 201.

Ministry of !conomy, 201.Ministr! of Econom! and MIE4: launch the plan

for promotin e-ports and investments. Available at;

Hhttp;66www.mec.gov.md6en6content6ministryeconomyandmiepolaunchplanpromotingexportsandinvestmentsJ. Accessed 1stApril 201.

M&!'3, 2014.Investin uide Moldova*Available at;

Hhttp;66miepo.md6sites6default6files6moldovabusinessguide2014.pdfJ. Accessed1stApril 201.

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http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/130822/moldova-young-generation-emigrationhttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/130822/moldova-young-generation-emigrationhttps://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2015http://miepo.md/news/miepo-launches-first-edition-%E2%80%9Ddiplomatic-economic-club%E2%80%9D-2015http://miepo.md/news/miepo-launches-first-edition-%E2%80%9Ddiplomatic-economic-club%E2%80%9D-2015http://www.moldovaictsummit.md/index.php/abouthttp://www.mec.gov.md/en/content/ministry-economy-and-miepo-launch-plan-promoting-exports-and-investmentshttp://www.mec.gov.md/en/content/ministry-economy-and-miepo-launch-plan-promoting-exports-and-investmentshttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/130822/moldova-young-generation-emigrationhttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/130822/moldova-young-generation-emigrationhttps://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2015http://miepo.md/news/miepo-launches-first-edition-%E2%80%9Ddiplomatic-economic-club%E2%80%9D-2015http://miepo.md/news/miepo-launches-first-edition-%E2%80%9Ddiplomatic-economic-club%E2%80%9D-2015http://www.moldovaictsummit.md/index.php/abouthttp://www.mec.gov.md/en/content/ministry-economy-and-miepo-launch-plan-promoting-exports-and-investmentshttp://www.mec.gov.md/en/content/ministry-economy-and-miepo-launch-plan-promoting-exports-and-investments


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endi<

Trafficking troubles poor Moldova

By Angus Roxburgh

BBC News Online in Moldova, 7 November2!

"Moldova is the first former #oviet state to start the process of $oining the

%uropean &nion" said a front'page headline in a Moldovan ne(spaperrecently)

That would have come as a surprise to the European Commission, which treats thistiny, east European state, sandwiched between Romania and Ukraine, very muchas part o the !wider Europe! which is not at all ready to think about "oinin# theEU$

Moldova is Europe%s poorest country$ &lmost one'itho its ($) million people are believed to have #oneabroad, in search o work and a better lie$

&nd a hu#e ma"ority o those who remain, accordin# to

research, would leave i they had the means$

Compoundin# the misery are political tensions to eastand west$

*n the east, the sliver o land alon# the +niester river, known as Transdniestria,populated mainly by Russians and Ukrainians, has declared de acto independence$

The EU wants Russia to pull its orces out by the end o the year, but there is littlesi#n o that happenin#$ *n the meantime, the two parts o Moldova snarl at eachother across the river, and even ' accordin# to locals ' disrupt each other%s mobile

phone networks$

To the west, the Moldovan #overnment is locked in an ideolo#ical war withRomania, denouncin# Bucharest%s talk o !two Romanian states!, which Chisinaure#ards as a sli#ht on its own, Moldovan, statehood$

The country%s lan#ua#e is Romanian, but the authorities here reer to it as!Moldovan! in order to bolster their separate identity$

*Not for sale*

The political instability alone would be enou#h to keep Moldova out o the EU$ But

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Moldova is Europe%spoorest nation


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it is worse than that$

The country is the source o much o Europe%s human traickin#$ Billboards in thestreets o the capital, Chisinau, depict a #irl #ripped in a hu#e clenched ist, bein#echan#ed or dollars$

The caption reads- !.ou are not or sale!$ There are ew countries in the worldwhere people have to be reminded o that by publicadvertisements$

*n act, tens o thousands o Moldovan women havebeen sold into prostitution in more aluent countries$&nd the trade in human or#ans, particularly kidneys,is a #rowin# and ri#htenin# problem$

!The traickers are smart psycholo#ists,! says &na Revenco o /a 0trada, anor#anisation set up to help the victims o the se trade$

!They #o to poor villa#es where women are most vulnerable$ 1or many o them,prostitution is a survival strate#y$!

* met 2ana, a 33 year'old who escaped rom captivity as a se slave in Turkey, andnow lives with her little #irl, 4aleria, in a drau#hty, damp hovel in the outskirts oChisinau$

2ana says she went to *stanbul voluntarily, believin# she was bein# oered work inbars and restaurants$

Abused

5hen she realised her employer wanted to turn her into a prostitute, she tried toescape, but was cau#ht, handcued and driven to the seaside town o Bodrum$0he tells how she was sold to a succession o pimps, her price'ta# risin# with eachsale$

6er last owner, an &rmenian woman, put a #un to2ana%s head when she reused to work, beat her, andeven pushed her o a yacht into the sea orcomplainin#$ 2ana says she never received a penny orher !work!$

0he speaks with horror o how another woman in thetown who reused to work was brutally murdered, herace and #enitals carved up$ The pimps showedphoto#raphs o the body to 2ana as a warnin#$

Eventually 2ana escaped with the help o a benevolentclient$ 0he stole her passport back, and with her client made her way overland

1F

+ (as so poor +couldn*t even buy

clothes or food for mylittle girl

2ana

7rostitution is a %survivalstrate#y% or manyMoldovan women


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back to *stanbul, where he paid or a ticket home$ *t was our months o terror$

5hy did she #o there in the irst place, * asked$ 5asn%t she naive8

!Maybe$ But * was so poor * couldn%t even buy clothes or ood or my little #irl,!she said$ !* couldn%t even buy her sweets$!

*n a villa#e in the north o Moldova * ound victims o another kind o traickin#$*urie, a youn# man with dark stubble on his ace, looked tou#h enou#h to takecare o himsel$ But tears brimmed in his eyes as he told me how he was orced 'a#ain, in Turkey ' to have a kidney removed$

6e says he went there thinkin# he would be #iven work as a stevedore$ *nstead,he ended up on an operatin# table$ 6e was sent home, 9::,;;; richer, buttraumatised or lie$

The realisation that one can live with "ust one kidney has prompted manyMoldovans to #o abroad voluntarily to make a


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endi< %

8) Moldova0 embracing its status as %urope*s least'

visited country

by/ei 7ettersen= :ul 2 28!

Bein# declared Europe%s least visited country, with some researcherthou#htully providin# the spirit'wiltin# data showin# only >;;;

international arrivals in 3;::, would probably cause most countries to plop

down in the middle o the room and scream about how lie is so

unair$ Moldovais doin# the e


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6avin# served as /onely 7lanet%s Moldova epert or seven years, *%m all

too amiliar with the unpolished, scrappy appeal o Moldova$ 4irtually no

aspect o the country has been orchestrated or mass tourism or even

practical convenience$ Eperiences here are earned, without bein# overly

demandin#$ 5ant to see the breathtakin# cave monastery perched above a

windin# valley at Orheiul 4echi8 @et into an over'stued, abused minibus

and bounce down busted up roads s


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is not an embellishment in this case$ The minibus driver to Orheiul 4echi

knows eactly why you%re in his vehicle and he%ll make sure you #et to your

destination$ Other wearied Moldovans tap dancin# or Transdniestr border

oicials will intervene on your behal i problems arise, providin#translatin# services i necessary to make sure you%re #ranted an entry

pass$

Cau#ht in the #eo#raphical and cultural embrace o Romaniaand Ukraine,

landlocked and mostly lat, Moldova%s natural attractions are notably

absent on postcards, but the re#ion%s enviable climate and soil have lon#

been host to one o the country%s chie products and eports- wine #rapes$

Moldova%s wine industry, once everishly producin# and shippin# their

e


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www$acebook$com?moldovawineday , held in the irst week o October, is

ar#uably the bi##est event on the country%s calendar$ 6owever, between

the old #uard like Cricova, Chateau 4artely http-??vartely$md and 7urcari,

whose %Ne#ru de 7urcari% was a avourite o Dueen 4ictoria%s, and the newhotness wineries like Et Cetera http-??etcetera$md, rewardin# tastin#s

and tours can now be sta#ed year'round$

Chisinau, Moldova by 4lad /itvinov$CC B. 3$;$

Chisinau, the country%s capital, has also been busy reinventin# itsel$ Oneo the leaiest capital cities in Europe, Chisinau%s eatin# and drinkin# scene

is barely reco#nisable rom when * irst visited in 3;;G$ The once dismal

ield o prohibitively epensive restaurants and ni#htclubs caterin# to

thu##ish #uys and over'done women has opened up with all manner o

reasonably priced, ecellent restaurants and ni#htlie #eared or people

who are lookin# to have un, rather than put on airs o sel'importance and

boredom$ &s allurin# as Chisinau%s ni#htlie has become, in a place as

bucolic and steeped in tradition as Moldova, spendin# time in the villa#es is

one o the country%s key eperiences$ Butuceni, sittin# in the shadow o the

monastery at Orheiul 4echi, has cultivated a stron# a#ro'tourismeperience, led by ro 7ensiunea Butuceni www$pensiuneabutuceni$md,

who oer a variety o rooms and can arran#e meals, tours, cultural

activities and perormances$

22
https://www.facebook.com/moldovawinedayhttp://vartely.md/?lang=enhttp://etcetera.md/http://www.flickr.com/photos/vlitvinov/7688591452/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.lonelyplanet.com/moldova/chisinauhttp://www.pensiuneabutuceni.md/en/homehttps://www.facebook.com/moldovawinedayhttp://vartely.md/?lang=enhttp://etcetera.md/http://www.flickr.com/photos/vlitvinov/7688591452/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enhttp://www.lonelyplanet.com/moldova/chisinauhttp://www.pensiuneabutuceni.md/en/home


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The train station at Bendery, the second city o the breakaway republic o Transdniestr ?

&mos Chapple ? /onely 7lanet *ma#es ? @etty *ma#es$

1or ans o 0oviet kitsch with a pinch o the biarre, a day'trip to the

breakaway republic o Transdniestr and its capital'city'cum'livin#'museum

Tiraspol, should thorou#hly scramble the brain e##s$ Tributes to /enin, a

shameless oli#archy, and a distinct sensation o time travel punctuates

visits here$ Thou#h the re#ion is still eectively in a roen conlict with

Moldova and the border was once an unabashed assembly line o bribeshakedowns, a visit here has become virtually trouble'ree in recent years$

0till, outri#ht photo#raphy o the random proundity o sites deemed crucial

to national security will


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endi< !

0napshot o Invest in Moldovaweb'pa#e created by Moldova *nvestmentand Eport 7romotion Or#aniation-

0ource- *nvest in Moldova, 3;:I$ M*E7O$ &vailable at- Jmiepo$mdK&ccessed- : &pril, 3;:I$

M"P5Ls romotion o- Mo'da#ian &usiness c'imate

Moldova: Country Profile

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