Moldova and Turkey have signed the seventh protocol of the Moldovan-Turkish intergovernmental commission on economic, commercial and technical-scientific cooperation. The protocol includes 16 cooperation points, IPN reports.

Minister of Customs and Trade of Turkey Hayati Yazici told a news conference in Chisinau that this protocol can be considered a map that covers all the areas. Trade between Moldova and Turkey over years increased considerably. In 2013, it totaled almost US$560 million. The goal is to raise the volume of bilateral trade to US$1 billion in 2015.

The Turkish official said that both of the sides aim to sign the Free Trade Agreement between Moldova and Turkey in the first half of this year. In the second half, a delegation of Turkish businessmen will pay a visit to Moldova to present investment projects.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy Valeriu Lazar said the protocol can be considered a roadmap in the commercial-economic sector for the bilateral agenda. Last year, Turkey was Moldova’s sixth largest commercial partner. Moldova’s exports to Turkey rose almost 2.5 times.