The founder of Eco-local Association and of the special enterprise Etno-gastronomica Tamara Şchiopu said the Buiucani Social Services refuse to protect her brother Valeriu Croitoru, who is a vulnerable person with disabilities and who was intentionally left on the street, with a risk to his life. In a news conference at IPN, Tamara Şchiopu said that on May 27, Valeriu Croitoru, 58, who suffers from multiple disabilities, was discharged from the Clinical Psychiatric Hospital located in Codru town without the relatives being informed and without this being accompanied by a person. The man during four months stayed in the hospital. Half of this period, he was confined to bed with a broken leg.

Tamara Şchiopu said her brother for 35 years has suffered from a serious mental illness. He was cared for by their mother who died this March. On April 12, the authorities were informed that Valeriu Croitoru does not have where to live, while his sister, who is his only close relative, cannot look after him because she does not stay in Moldova. Furthermore, for over 20 years she has suffered from an incurable disease and has been receiving treatment abroad. Valeriu is very aggressive and poses a threat to society. Besides the mental illness, the man suffers from diabetes, but he refuses care and treatment as he does not have discernment. “His discharge without an accompanying person poses risks to his life. His discharge yesterday in the absence of social services represents leaving of a vulnerable person in the street. By such a deed, enormous pressure is exerted on my by the authorities so that I take responsibility for him,” stated Tamara Şchiopu.

The woman noted that since April 12 until present, the Buiucani Social Services haven’t taken any measure to identify a form of protection that would be suitable for her brother’s state of health. Moreover, she was invited to a joint meeting with employees of the Buiucani Mental Health Center where, as she said, an attempt was made to shift full responsibility onto a person with limited possibilities, who does not live in the country and who is not his legal representative. She offered to help her brother financially within possibilities, but the social service didn’t try to find a placement institution to ensure the man’s wellbeing. At the joint meeting, she was accused of not caring about her brother and of not contributing to the state to be able to now ask so much from it. “I founded two organizations with ten employees in Moldova. The contributions we pay to the state exceed 500,000 lei a year” said Tamara Şchiopu.

The woman reiterated her request to the authorities to find optimal solutions to the case of her brother as he is unable to live independently. “I ask the social assistance services to take urgent measures and identify a protection form for my brother, who is a vulnerable person with multiple diseases, who does not have a home and does not have someone who could look after him in his state,” stated Tamaras Şchiopu. “I address our friends and relatives who know where my brother can be now to inform the police or the Buiucani Social Services about his whereabouts.”