Moldovan government to ask parliament to establish emergency state for period of 60 days

Chisinau, 24 February /MOLDPRES/ - The government has approved the declaring of the emergency state for a period of 60 days, starting from 24 February 2022. The decision was approved by the Commission for Emergency Situations and was subsequently approved by the cabinet.  

Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita made statements to this effect at a news conference. The PM noted that today she would go to parliament, in order to submit this proposal on the situation as to the security in the region and ensuring the national security, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

Natalia Gavrilita said that, during the period of the emergency state, decision-makers propose the establishment of a special regime of entrance and exit from Moldova, use of the air space, as well as measures due to ensure the management of migration flows and ensuring the protection of the people who fled Ukraine.     

At the same time, the Interior Ministry (MAI) started the preparations needed for the management of the flow of migrants from Ukraine, registered at Moldova’s border. ‘’I want to call to calm and to assure all citizens that the state’s institutions are functional and work as normal. Also, I ask the citizens to be informed from the first source about the events taking place, without accessing dubious information sources, with the goal to trigger panic. You, dear journalists, bear responsibility before the public to provide truthful information. Let us prove together unity in these moments,’’ the PM said.     

For his part, Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs and European Integration Minister Nicu Popescu reiterated that ‘’Russia’s military attacks in the neighbour country, Ukraine, represent a glaring violation of the international law norms. Moldova joined the international community in condemning this war.’’  

Also, Nicu Popescu noted the following:

We had phone conversations with officials from the neighbour countries, western partners; the diplomatic network works at the maximal capacity, in order to systematize and analyze the information received. Also, I spoke to the Romanian counterpart Bogdan Aurescu.    

Taking into account that one of the effects of the crisis from Ukraine is the generation of flows of refugees to neighbour countries, I called on Romania, as well as to the European Union member states to support us in the effort of receiving and accommodation of refugees from Ukraine on the territory of Moldova.  

In the context of the serious worsening of the security situation in Ukraine, we set up at the Foreign Affairs and European Integration Ministry (MAEIE) a crisis cell, which permanently monitors the security situation and coordinates the operations of Moldovan citizens’ evacuation from Ukraine. Also, the crisis cell is in contact with Moldova’s diplomatic missions from abroad and the foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Moldova. We will have consultations with representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Chisinau.     

Concomitantly, MAEIE instructed the strengthening of the security measures at the diplomatic missions from Moldova and have a high degree of exposure.  

We reiterate the call to Moldova’s citizens not to move to the neighbour country and we convey those who are temporarily in Ukraine to immediately leave the territory of this state.  

I make an appeal to Moldova’s citizens who are on visit or stay in Ukraine to return home. All border crossing points are opened and work in extended regime with additional teams. 

We ask those who are in Ukraine to fill in a form launched by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Moldova’s diplomacy works to provide the assistance needed. More airships bound for Ukraine landed in Chisinau today. We will take care of these people along with our colleagues from the government.   

An increase in the flow of transit is recorded at the border crossing points; our institutions set sorting centres. We will help the people who need our support. The government is in permanent touch with the international organizations and we have prepared all scenarios, if we have a bigger flow of refugees.    

All state’s institutions are in state of alert, a centre for monitoring and managing the crisis works. Our priority is the people’s safety in continuation. I make a firm call to all citizens to be informed only from official sources, in order to prevent eventual distortions of the reality resulted in the wake of the activation of different ‘’news’’ channels on social networks, the goal of which is to misinform the residents.

The parliament is to convene at a meeting today and will approve the decree on declaring the emergency state in Moldova for a period of 60 days.  

Photo: Government