CHISINAU, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Moldova's Prime Minister Pavel Filip said on Saturday that his government would continue to support the development of the wine sector and implement policies in support of the producers in this field.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Wine Day, Filip said wines have been the business card of Moldova, and the government would make all effort to further support the winemakers that help promote Moldova's image abroad through the high quality wines they produce.
The prime minister said that the wine industry is a key sector of the Moldovan economy, which employs one third of the active population of the country.
According to him, 2 percent of the vineries of the world are situated in Moldova, which is "among the top 20 wine producing countries and the 13th largest wine exporter in the world."
Moldovan wines were exported to 42 countries and won about 300 medals at international competitions, out of which 60 percent were gold medals in 2016, he said.
Moldova's National Wine Day started on Saturday in the center square of the capital city Chisinau, with wine tastings, music, dances, traditional dishes and handicraft workshops. Forty-seven local wineries take part in the 16th edition of the traditional event, presenting the newest products to appear on the market in 2017.
More than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the two-day event.
