Police take measures to protect children during school vacation

Groups of children that are taken on school trips during the winter vacation are escorted by a policeman, Mihai Cibotaru, head of the Public Order Police Department, told a press conference. The police are also providing guard for school and kindergarten New Year festivities to prevent fires and electric shocks among children and teachers when using Christmas tree lights. According to Cibotaru, the police conduct in this period in the campaign “Care for children on winter holidays”, whose aim is to prevent minors from committing delinquencies. Over 75,000 Moldovan children lack parental care, of whom 25,000 are being looked after by relatives and 50,000 by single parents. These children often become victims of delinquents or are involved in illegal activities, Cibotaru said. According to Anatol Viniciuc, deputy head of the Department for Civil Protection and Emergencies, the number of fires caused by children soars during winter holidays and the authors of these fires are usually children left without supervision. On December 23 a 4 year-old child in Drochia town left alone overnight died in a fire caused by the explosion of a TV-set, Viniciuc told. The winter school vacation lasts from December 21 to January 9.