At the beginning of this year, Moldova became an official member of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, which is an initiative to coordinate the responses to crisis situations and natural hazards, IPN reports.

“Our firefighters and rescuers will now cooperate with the EU Member States and another nine participating states to improve the systems for preventing, preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters. Before becoming a full member, our country has already benefited from support through this mechanism,” Prime Minister Dorin Recean said in this connection.

According to him, since the onset of Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine, Moldova has received 36 electricity generators for 30 hospitals, medical aid and food for Ukrainian refugees. Also, medical equipment from medical reserves was mobilized and humanitarian projects supporting vulnerable Ukrainian refugees were financed.

“The participation in the Civil Protection Mechanism is part of our European integration efforts and it will improve national security of and the safety of our citizens,” stated Premier Recean.

The European Union and the Republic of Moldova at the end of September 2023 signed an agreement for Moldova to become a participating state in the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. According to the agreement, as a full member of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Moldova will not only be able to receive immediate support, but can also send assistance to countries struck by a disaster through the Mechanism, leading to a stronger and better coordinated crisis response in Europe and in the rest of the world.

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism aims to strengthen cooperation between the EU countries and 10 participating states (Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Ukraine and most recently Moldova) on civil protection to improve prevention, preparedness, and response to disasters.