Governor of the National Bank of Moldova Anca Dragu took part today in Bucharest in the launch of the Representation of the Romanian Investors Association (AIR), an event organized at the Palace of Parliament, marking eight years of the organization’s activity in the Republic of Moldova.
According to the BNM, during the panel “Success Stories – AIR on Both Banks of the Prut,” the governor highlighted the structural transformations that are making the Republic of Moldova increasingly attractive to investors. According to her, 2025 brought tangible progress in aligning with the European Union’s financial market through functional infrastructures, accelerated digitalization, and reduced operational costs.
A key element mentioned was the accession of the Republic of Moldova to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), which became operational in October 2025. Anca Dragu noted that in just three months, seven out of ten euro payments were processed through SEPA, generating savings of approximately 3.85 million euros compared to the use of the traditional SWIFT system.
At the same time, the BNM governor presented the MIA Instant Payments project, developed by the National Bank of Moldova, which she described as the most modern instant payments system in the region. According to the data presented, the platform has over 800,000 users, and about every second bank card holder makes payments through MIA.
Anca Dragu reiterated Moldova’s openness to capital and expertise from European markets, including Romania, emphasizing progress in the liberalization of foreign exchange operations, the development of the capital market, and the facilitation of foreign investors’ access to the Moldovan market.
The improvement of Moldova’s sovereign rating was also mentioned, which has increased cumulatively by three notches in the past two years, according to assessments by international agencies. This evolution reflects the strengthening of macroeconomic stability and the credibility of the reforms implemented.
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Eugen Osmochescu, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, Minister of Energy Dorin Junghietu, as well as the Minister of Economy from Bucharest, Irineu Darău. The launch of the AIR representation brought together business representatives and investors, underlining the importance of Romanian-Moldovan economic cooperation in the context of European integration.