Moldova’s capital Chisinau and the Romanian city of Iasi got twinned yesterday in a joyous atmosphere at the Rozovanu Palace in Iasi, which hosted the town-twinning ceremony. Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca of Chisinau stated that the town-twinning agreement comes to officialise the brother-like relationship that the two cities have always maintained. “We had ‘the Bridges of Flowers’, and now we want them to become European Bridges. I hope that this twinning makes the relationship between “us and us” more close”, the City Hall’s PR department quoted Chirtoaca as saying. Mayor Gheorghe Nichita of Iasi said this year is very special to Iasi, as it marks the 600th anniversary of its foundation. “This city was made to unite, this city of culture and spirituality which means a lot to Romania and could mean a lot to Europe one day”. Nichita offered Chirtoaca 8 volumes of the book “Documented History of Iasi (1408-1790)”, the symbolical key to Iasi, an emblem of the city and a paining representing the Palace of Culture. Dorin Chirtoaca offered his counterpart from Iasi the Encyclopaedia of Chisinau, a complete Eminescu collection, an icon depicting Stephan the Great and Saint, and a handful of Moldovan soil. According to the Town-twinning Protocol, the two cities will intensify cooperation activities in all the fields, including of economic and cultural nature, and will implement cross-border projects.