Today, 4th May 2026, the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, Ms Anca Dragu, attended the official opening of the “Bucharest Leaders’ Summit: United for a Better World”, held in Bucharest. The event brought together officials, representatives from public institutions, academia, the economic and diplomatic sectors, for a dialogue focused on cooperation, sustainable development, and the strengthening of a safer and more prosperous common future.
In her speech, the NBM Governor highlighted the progress of the Republic of Moldova in the areas of financial modernisation, European integration, and macroeconomic stability.
"The Republic of Moldova demonstrates that it can deliver tangible results, with a direct impact on citizens, businesses, and the economy. Integration into SEPA, the development of the MIA Instant Payments system, the strengthening of financial stability, and the modernisation of supervision are actions that increase confidence in the European path of the Republic of Moldova and in the capacity of institutions to build modern, secure, and efficient solutions," underlined Ms Anca Dragu.
Referring to the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), Ms Anca Dragu noted that this project is already delivering concrete benefits for citizens and companies. In the first months since its operationalisation, the SEPA infrastructure has generated savings of EUR 6.59 million, through a reduction in transfer costs by over 90%, down to an average of EUR 1.26 per transfer, with the possibility of applying zero fees. Currently, over 70% of cross-border euro transactions are processed through SEPA.
The Governor also highlighted the role of the MIA Instant Payments system, launched by the National Bank of Moldova in the spring of 2024, as a modern, secure, and competitive payment infrastructure. The system is used by one in every two citizens with a bank account in the Republic of Moldova and has become a regional benchmark for the development of digital payments.
Additionally, Ms Anca Dragu mentioned the results of the prudent monetary policy promoted by the National Bank of Moldova, which has allowed inflation to be brought back into the target range of 5% at the beginning of 2026. This development, supported by structural reforms, has contributed to strengthening external confidence in the Republic of Moldova, including through an improvement in the sovereign rating by three notches over the last two years.
Another key message of her address focused on the ongoing partnership with Romania. Ms Anca Dragu stressed the support provided by the National Bank of Romania, the Financial Supervisory Authority, and the Insurers Guarantee Fund in the process of institutional strengthening and alignment with European best practices.
"Cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and Romania is measured in implemented reforms, enhanced institutional capacity, and real benefits for people and businesses. It is a partnership that helps us build stronger institutions and brings the Republic of Moldova closer to the standards of the European Union," emphasised the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova.
In conclusion, Ms Anca Dragu reiterated that the Republic of Moldova is ready to accelerate its European journey, harnessing the opportunities created by financial stability, investment, reforms, and strategic partnerships.
The “Bucharest Leaders’ Summit: United for a Better World” is the 37th event of the national project “Together We Protect Romania”, organised by the MediaUno Press Group, together with the National Institute of Statistics, the Department of Sustainable Development, and the MediaUno Association.
Today's event marks the start of a series of over 20 thematic conferences, which will conclude on 4th June 2026. These conferences bring together representatives from public institutions, the diplomatic, economic, financial, academic, and professional sectors, to identify and promote sustainable solutions to current challenges in areas such as security, energy, finance, banking and insurance, sustainable development, digitalisation, education, research, infrastructure, and citizen safety.