The Cabinet proposes extending again the state of emergency for 60 days, starting with October 2. The draft decision approved on Wednesday will be transmitted to Parliament for consideration, IPN reports.

Minister of the Interior Adrian Efros said the decision on the prolongation of the state of emergency was drafted based on the decision taken by the Commission for Exceptional Situations on September 20.

“The risks to the security of the Republic of Moldova in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine remain pertinent. The latest events led to the extension of the effects of the war beyond Ukraine’s borders. Russia’s attacks with cruise missiles and drones on maritime, port and fluvial infrastructure in Ukraine maintain the serious security situation in the region. The Republic of Moldova is only several kilometers away from the conflict zone and this makes her vulnerable to public threats,” said the minister.

According to him, before the cold season there are significant risks that the Russian armed forces will attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and the supply of electricity to Moldova can be disrupted, as it happened the previous season.

“The information attacks with an increased risk to the social and political climate were stepped up, including by exploiting the information space and consolidating the instruments of informational influence guided from outside the Republic of Moldova, with disinformation elements. It is anticipated that fake news and manipulation with the promotion of distorted messages aimed at undermining confidence in state institutions will intensify,” stated Adrian Efros.

In this connection, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that in the Republic of Moldova it is peace and quietness owing to Ukrainians’ courage on the battlefield and owing to state institutions’ capacities to judiciously use the instrments porvided by Parliament through the state of emergency. “That’s why the Government needs this instrument further so that we could ensure a calm and quiet environment in the Republic of Moldova,” stated the official.

The state of emergency was declared on February 24, 2022 and was extended for multiple times since then. The last time such a decision was taken by the legislative body at the end of July.