More than 200 foreign citizens are currently under the protection of Moldovan authorities

235 foreign citizens are currently under the protection of Moldovan authorities. Among them, 84 are refugees, 78 are beneficiaries of humanitarian support and 73 are asylum seekers. Veaceslav Banzari, the director of the Migration and Asylum Bureau of the Ministry of Domestic Affairs has mentioned that most applicants – 19 people are from Armenia, 11 persons – from Jordan, 10 – from Turkey, 8 – from Russia, 7 – from Sudan, 2 – from China and 2 - from Iraq. 29 Russian citizens, 22 Armenian citizens, 17 Syrians, 12 Afghan citizens, 12 Palestinian citizens and 8 people from Iraq are recorded as refugees. June 20 is the World Refugee Day. Following the 1996 Regional Geneva Conference on refugees, migration and asylum seekers, an office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been opened in Chisinau in 1997. In 2003 a shelter for asylum seekers was opened in the Airport town, 13 km away from Chisinau. The centre has 120 places and currently there are 91 persons accommodated there. Those persons are taking Romanian language and history classes, classes about the Moldovan culture and traditions, foreign language classes and practical professional courses. The refugees’ children can go to kindergarten and to school and they can also receive primary health assistance. Ecaterina Silvestru, the administrator of the Refugee Department of the Migration and Asylum Bureau, says that the centre is supported by the Moldovan administration. At the same time, the refugees get financial support from the UNHCR. Also, during the first 6 months which represent the integration period, the refugees get 260 lei monthly from the state. This is the same amount given to the most vulnerable categories in Moldova. According to Ecaterina Silvestru, refugees in Moldova are employed in trade and constructions sectors, and they work as porters and merchants in the markets, as barbers and as caregivers in kindergartens. The refugees are not eligible for positions in elective offices; they cannot be civil servants or officers of law enforcement bodies. Official data shows that 350 refugees have voluntarily repatriated to their home countries since 1997. A foreign citizen who is legally residing in Moldova can become a Moldovan citizen in 8 years. If a foreigner marries a Moldovan citizen, they can also get the citizenship in three years.