21/10/2026
I have just concluded a fascinating two-day visit to the Åland Islands, a unique autonomous region of Finland, where history, identity, peace and European integration come together in remarkable ways.
The visit included meetings with the Speaker of the Åland Parliament, Jörgen Pettersson, the Head of Government, Katrin Sjögren, and Governor Marine Holm-Johansson, as well as representatives of the city of Mariehamn, the business community and civil society. Our conversations touched on Åland’s experience of self-government, the preservation of its Swedish-language identity, economic development and the role of regional institutions in building prosperous and resilient communities. But most importantly I was pleased to hear about the experience and benefits for the people on Åland of being part of the European Union.
There are some unexpected parallels between the Republic of Moldova (Basarabia in the past) and Åland. Both were once territories of the Russian Empire, yet their subsequent journeys took very different directions. Today, Åland enjoys extensive autonomy within Finland and is part of the European Union, while my country is working to secure its place in the same European community.
🍎 Åland is also known as the apple orchard of Finland, and a visit to Karl-Ers Frukt offered a fascinating glimpse into how traditional agriculture can embrace cutting-edge technology. Benefiting from grants offered by the EU, local producers have invested in advanced automation and deep learning technologies. I was particularly impressed by the sophisticated sorting machinery, which photographs each apple up to 40 times to assess its quality and ensure that only the finest fruit reaches the market. An inspiring example of how innovation and European integration can help local businesses compete and thrive — and certainly an interesting experience for Moldova, with its own rich agricultural traditions.
My warm thanks to Elisabeth Nauclér, Honorary Consul of the Republic of Moldova, whose dedication and hospitality made this visit possible, and to all our Ålandic hosts for their openness, generosity and genuine interest in Moldova.
Diplomacy is also about discovering connections where we might not initially expect them. I leave Åland with new perspectives, valuable contacts and many ideas for future cooperation.