During the next 16 months, 40,000 vulnerable families in Moldova will receive a lump sum of 1,000 lei in assistance, while 6,000 households will get firewood and briquettes for fire. The assistance is provided as part of the €5 million project “Together We Support Vulnerable Population Stricken by Energy Crisis” that is financed by the European Union and is implemented by People in Need Moldova, IPN reports.
Georgiana Cremene, People in Need Moldova country director, in the launch of the project said that according to data of the National Bureau of Statistics, the absolute poverty rate in Moldova in 2019 was 25.2%. Later, this rate was negatively influenced by the pandemic crisis and the energy crisis. Also, the general indebtedness level of the population grew by 34% until the end of last year. This is the highest rise on the European continent.
The assistance is intended for older solitary persons, persons with disabilities, families with many children and families with low incomes.
In the framework of the project, 20 civil society organizations will get grants of €5,000 to €60,000. There will be carried out a study to determine the indebtedness level of the people following the energy crisis and staged an awareness-raising campaign to inform the people how they can reduce their debts.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Janis Mazeiks said the COVID-19 pandemic affects the people all over the world, primarily the vulnerable groups. The energy crisis worsens the situation further. Last December, the EU provided assistance totaling over €6 million to the Republic of Moldova to help it diminish the impact of the rise in gas prices on socially disadvantaged persons. Furthermore, the EU offers a grant of €50 million that is the first component for supporting the families affected by the energy crisis and for strengthening the Moldovan Government’s capacities to do reforms in the energy sector.
Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița said that the ensuring of the population’s wellbeing has been a constant preoccupation of the current Government even if three major crises need to be handled in parallel – the energy crises, the pandemic and the rise in prices. To support the disadvantaged population, the cold-month allowance was raised from 500 to 700 lei, while the procedure for accessing this allowance was simplified and the number of recipients was this way increased. There was designed a mechanism for subsidizing the rise in natural gas and heat rates in November 2021 – March 2022 for all household users. In total, 746,000 families get such subsidies through bills.
