Record-large number of Ukrainian refugees in the Rep. of Moldova

The UN appreciates the involvement of the Rep. of Moldova in helping refugees from neighbouring Ukraine

Bogdan Matei, 10.05.2022, 11:33

The Republic of Moldova is Ukraine’s most vulnerable neighbour,
the Romanian foreign minister Bogdan Aurescu stated after that country’s border
had been crossed by hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian nationals fleeing their
country invaded by Russian troops.

Created
on some of the eastern Romanian territories annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940,
following an ultimatum, and independent from Moscow since 1991, the Republic of
Moldova shared the same disastrous fate with Ukraine and Russia, behind the
Iron Curtain, for over half a century. According to the latest census, dating
back to 2014, apart from ethnic Romanians (some of them self-identified as
Moldovans), who account for roughly 80% of the population, Moldova is also home
to some 180,000 Ukrainians (6.5% of the population) and 110,000 ethnic Russians
(4%).

Since
the start of the war in Ukraine, strange blasts and grenade attacks have
fuelled fears that the conflict might spill over into the east of Moldova,
where the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria has been out of Chişinău’s
control for 3 decades, following an intervention of the Russian Army on the
side of the rebels.

All
these have further deepened the tensions in a Moldovan society already divided between
pro-Europeans and pro-Russians. The authorities banned the display of Russian
militarist symbols, such as the ribbon of St. George and the letters Z and V.
The pro-Russian, communist and socialist opposition however disregarded the regulation
and on Monday they celebrated the 9 May 1945 victory of the Soviet Union against
Nazi Germany.

Amid
all this, the less than 3-million strong Republic of Moldova, confirmed in
relevant surveys as the poorest European country, is grappling with a constant
inflow of Ukrainian refugees, at the largest rate per capita in Europe. The United
Nations commended Moldova on its efforts, and secretary general Antonio Guterres voiced the
organisation’s support for the authorities during a visit to Chişinău. He thanked
the hosts for their generosity and solidarity, and described Moldova’s actions
as a model of compassion. Guterres emphasised that any violation of Moldova’s
territorial integrity is also a violation of international law, condemned by
the UN.

PM Natalia Gavriliţă said in turn that her
government was waiting for the funding offered by the UN to support the
refugees to reach Chişinău as soon as possible. The Moldovan government chief
also said that, in the context of the war in Ukraine, Moldova’s defence system
is on alert, to prevent the situation in the country from destabilising. (A.M.P.)