Romania’s new Prime Minister, Luca Niculescu, is making his first foreign visit since taking office on October 27. He is visiting the Republic of Moldova.
The Romanian prime minister will hold talks with President Maia Sandu, Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, and Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu.
The programme includes talks with representatives of Romanian companies investing in the Republic of Moldova, a joint press conference by the two prime ministers, and a visit to the Chișinău electrical substation, part of the Vulcănești–Chișinău power line infrastructure, according to cotidianul.md. The visit comes just one week after the new Romanian government was sworn in and aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation and accelerate joint projects.
The visit will begin with meetings at Romania’s diplomatic missions in Chișinău. The official intends to meet with Metropolitan Antonie of Bessarabia and plans to hold talks with representatives of Romanian companies with investment projects in the Republic of Moldova.
At 14:25, Luca Niculescu will be received by Vasile Tofan at Government House. The prime ministers will hold a one-on-one meeting, followed by talks between the full delegations. At 15:30, they will hold a joint press conference.
Niculescu will then visit the Chișinău power line, head to the Presidential Office for talks with Maia Sandu, and be received at Parliament by Speaker Igor Grosu.
Luca Niculescu took office as Romania’s prime minister on October 20, 2026, after his new cabinet won a vote of confidence in Parliament in Bucharest, with 280 votes in favor and 58 against.
He had been nominated to form a government by President Nicușor Dan on October 5, following a period of political instability triggered by the ousting of Ilie Bolojan’s government in a no-confidence vote in May.
At 55, Luca Niculescu has enjoyed a long career in journalism and diplomacy. He graduated from the University of Bucharest’s Faculty of Journalism and Communication Studies and earned a master’s degree in European Journalism in Strasbourg.
From 1992 to 2016, he worked in journalism, including as editor-in-chief of RFI Romania. He subsequently served as Romania’s ambassador to France, Monaco and Andorra from 2016 to 2022. From September 2022, he served as Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, coordinating Romania’s accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Chișinău was agreed upon as the destination for the first foreign visit during a telephone conversation with Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, shortly after the new Romanian government was sworn in.
Luca Niculescu announced that he aims to accelerate joint projects between the two countries and identify new opportunities for cooperation. He also reaffirmed Bucharest’s support for the Republic of Moldova’s European integration and said he had already asked Romanian ministers to step up contact with their counterparts in Chișinău.
