A tiny market to move into, but rich literature to help bring to the wider world.

The Republic of Moldova’s Ministry of Culture has launched its 2027 Programme for the Translation and Publication of National Literature Abroad, inviting foreign publishers to apply for state funding until 26 October 2026.

The initiative supports translation projects featuring works by Moldovan citizens, prioritising contemporary literature and award-winning authors.

Eligibility and Priorities

Works written in Romanian qualify for funding, alongside texts in minority languages from within Moldova. Priority is given to contemporary literature and authors recognised with the European Union Prize for Literature, the National Prize of the Republic of Moldova, the Ministry of Culture Prize, or awards from the Writers’ Unions of Romania and Moldova.

Foreign publishers may select titles from the Ministry’s indicative list of recommended works or propose other Romanian-language books at their discretion.

Funding Scope and Limits

Eligible categories span fiction (prose, poetry, drama), non-fiction (reportage, memoirs, essays), history books – particularly on Bessarabia – albums, children’s and young adult literature, graphic novels, and anthologies. Both printed books and e-books qualify.

The maximum grant per translation project is MDL 300,000 (€15,000). Publishers may receive funding once per budgetary year, with projects limited to five titles. Beneficiaries must contribute at least 30% of the total project budget.

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit a standard form, letters of intent with copyright holders and translators, the translator’s CV, proof of legal status, a two-year publication report, an editorial plan, a budget sheet, a declaration of own financial contribution, and a distribution and promotion strategy.

Applications are accepted in hard copy or electronically as a single PDF.

The View From The Beach

This programme forms part of Moldova’s broader cultural export strategy. In 2025, 13 titles were supported across eight countries, with 11 more funded in 2026 across nine markets, totalling over three million lei.

Concurrently, Moldova has withdrawn from the CIS publishing agreement to pursue EU integration, while joining the European TRADUKI network to facilitate literary translation partnerships from 2027.

A tiny market to move into, but rich literature to help bring to the wider world.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsfeed.