Estonia provided €100,000 in direct financing to the Republic of Moldova for alleviating the effects of the humanitarian crisis. It will also donate several buses that will be engaged in the transportation of refugees and will continue to offer vaccines against COVID-19, the President of Estonia Alar Karis stated in a news conference given jointly with President Maia Sandu in Chisinau, IPN reports.

The Estonian official approved of Moldova’s effort to help the Ukrainian refugees, praising the Moldovans for opening their homes and hearts to the people from Ukraine. He said that Estonia will continue to make effort to help Moldova deal with the flows of persons displaced due to the war.

In another development, Alar Karis expressed his support for the European course of the Republic of Moldova. “Last week, the EU leaders took the first steps for Moldova to join the EU. Moldova is part of the EU family and no one questions this fact and no one can stop this European course,” stated the official.

For her part, President Sandu said the war in Ukraine seriously affects Moldova. The producers can no longer export to the Eastern markets. Imports were also affected. The economic security situation in the region remains difficult. “We need such countries as Estonia and other member states of the European Union to open their markets to the Moldovan products that cannot reach the Eastern market due to the war. I daily receive requests for aid from companies that lost their incomes owing to the lack of access to these markets. Such a gesture will represent clear and direct support for Moldovan producers,” said the official.

Maia Sandu noted that Moldova is interested in learning from Estonia’s experience in digitizing public services. It is interested in extending cooperation in such fields as information security, local development, primary medical assistance and green economy. “To implement all our plans, we need peace. We must now combine forces to stop the war and restore peace in Ukraine,” stated President Sandu.

Moldova since the first day has condemned Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and urged to restore peace. Also from the first day, it has helped the people affected by the war. Out of 340,000 Ukrainian refugees who entered Moldova since February 24, about 100,000 stopped in Moldova, half of them being children.