Events

20 Jun 2019

Belarus president invited to visit Moldova in autumn

MINSK, 20 June (BelTA) – Moldova President Igor Dodon has invited Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko to visit Moldova in autumn, before grape harvesting starts. The proposal was extended when the two heads of state met in Minsk on 20 June, BelTA has learned.

Igor Dodon said: “People in Moldova love you and look forward to your visit. You’ve promised we will gather in grapes this year. I think our situation will get stabilized within the next 1-1.5 months. I strongly hope we will see you as a guest in the Republic of Moldova in autumn.”

The Moldova president added he was pleased to accept the offer to come to Minsk to attend the opening ceremony of the 2nd European Games despite the complicated situation in his country. “It is an important event for you personally and for your country. In the end I’ve decided to come in order to stand next to you. Friends usually stick together – both in sorrow and in joy,” Igor Dodon stressed.

He promised to teach Aleksandr Lukashenko how to grow grapes and make natural wine out of them when the Belarusian leader visited Moldova back in April 2018. While visiting a crop farming institute together with the Belarus president, Igor Dodon said: “I invite you to come to my native village in late September – early October so that we could gather in grapes together and make wine, so that you could take a closer look at this segment, too. I think it will be very interesting. It will be my pleasure to show you the home where I was born, my native village.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko accepted the offer and promised to visit the native village of his Moldovan counterpart when the opportunity presents itself. Aleksandr Lukashenko noted: “Belarusian farmers grow grapes and a lot but they are a different kind, not the kind Moldova has, this is why I hope that my friend and colleague will teach me how to grow genuine grapes. Circumstances permitting, I will be pleased to visit Igor Dodon’s native village upon his invitation next year if not this one. We will try to make juice and then wine out of grapes.”