Traian Turcanu, who heads the National Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Moldova, said there are two major conflicts in the world that generated millions of refugees. In an interview for Radio Free Europe, the official said that owing to the conflict in Syria about 4 million people had to seek refuge, while another 7 million people became internally displaced, IPN reports.

“We are neighbors with another state witnessing an armed conflict – Ukraine. Though many Ukrainians who came to Moldova registered initially with the Migration and Asylum Office as foreigners, at a certain moment the situation became unbearable because many of them hoped to return home as soon as possible. But, owing to the conflict, they realized that this is not possible and were thus constrained to ask for a form of protection from the Moldovan authorities,” stated Traian Turcanu.

Under the legislation, when a person files application for asylum, this person must obtain the status of refugee within six months. “In the case of Syrians and Ukrainians, the situation is slightly different because most of the Syrians are entitled to humanitarian protection. It is more difficult with the Ukrainians because the conflict is local and this aspect should be taken into account,” said Traian Turcanu.

He noted that the most important right from which an asylum seeker and, respectively, a refuge benefits is the right not to be sent back to the country where these are exhibited to risks related to life, health or freedom. But the refugees also have obligations deriving from these rights. They enjoy practically the same opportunities and benefits as the Moldovan citizens, except for elective rights and the obligation to do the military service.

The Head of the National Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Moldova said the refugees who come or are in Moldova face a relatively hostile environment. They do not know the official language and do not have relatives or friends here and this has a negative impact on their abilities to integrate. The official called on the Moldovan citizens to treat the refugees with understanding and tolerance because these ran away from persecution and discrimination and should be treated as members of this community.

World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 20. In Moldova there are over 400 refugees.