Romania and Moldova signed on Friday an agreement on the travel regime, allowing Romanian citizens to travel in Moldova without visas and Moldovan citizens to enter Romania on a preferential visa arrangement.

The agreement, signed by Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu and his visiting Moldovan counterpart Andrei Stratan, is to come into force starting January 1, 2007.

"Once Romania joins the European Union, the travel regime of Moldovan citizens in Romania changes. The Republic of Moldova was the last state on the so-called negative list, to which Romania must impose visa regime, but this is a flexible and special regime so as to offer an easy entrance," said Ungureanu.

He added that Romania grants Moldova all the easy terms in accordance with the European legislation, such as tax exemption at visa issue, visa exemption for owners of diplomatic passports, rapid visa issue of 2-5 days and multiple entry visa.

Stratan said that the agreement is important for Moldovan citizens, who are allowed to travel to Romania on easy terms.

(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2006)