“The decision made in 1991 to embark on the path of independence was brave and perilous. But Moldova's determination to fight the many challenges that need more than a single decade to be overcome undeniably proves that you made the right choice,” the President said in the congratulatory message.

She further said that Lithuania would never forget that Moldova was the very first to recognize Lithuanian independence on May 31, 1990, even though at that time it was still part of the Soviet empire.

Dalia Grybauskaitė expressed her strong wish that respect for and dedication to the ideals of freedom, democracy and justice would continue to serve as the main principles binding Lithuania and Moldova together.