Moldova's parliament has approved a new government led by Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, who pledged to revive the economy while keeping the country on track for European Union membership.
The 45-year-old financier secured the backing of President Maia Sandu's ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), which holds a majority in the 101-seat parliament. Tofan's government was approved by 53 lawmakers, while opposition parties abstained.
Presenting his cabinet's programme, titled "The European Economy, an Effective State," Tofan said his administration would focus on boosting economic growth, reforming public institutions and accelerating Moldova's EU accession.
Tofan said the government aims to sign an agreement on Moldova's accession to the EU by the end of 2028 and prepare the country to join the bloc by 2030. It also plans to open all remaining EU accession negotiation clusters this year. Moldova, alongside neighbouring Ukraine, was granted EU candidate status and has so far opened two of the six negotiation clusters.
Tofan pledged to reduce the country's budget deficit, currently estimated at 20 billion lei ($1.1 billion), by two percentage points by 2029. He also promised tax reforms, less bureaucracy and easier access to financing for businesses.
The government plans to privatise at least 10 state-owned companies, encourage investment in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), increase exports of higher-value products and reduce the size of the shadow economy.
Tofan replaces former Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu, who resigned unexpectedly after eight months in office.
Bordering Ukraine and EU member Romania, Moldova has long been divided between political forces favouring closer integration with Europe and those seeking stronger ties with Moscow. The country remains one of Europe's poorest and continues to face economic challenges linked to the war in neighbouring Ukraine.
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