30 vehicles have completed the fleet of the General Inspectorate of Border Police (GIBP) and seven additional cars have been added to the fleet of the General Inspectorate for Migration (GIM). The donation was made by the European Union and the Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to Moldova. According to the donors, their use will contribute to better mobility and increase the operational capacities of the staff of the GIBP and GIM, including the enhancement of state border security and effective management of the flow of migrants, IPN reports.
The new vehicles were purchased in the framework of the project “Supporting protection, transit, voluntary and informed return and reintegration of Eastern Partnership citizens and third-country nationals affected by the conflict in Ukraine”.
In the donation ceremony, Minister of Internal Affairs, Adrian Efros said that in this phase of intervention, the EU and the IOM are contributing by developing the mobility capacity of the two components of the Interior Ministry, through important equipment with 4x4 cars. “This new equipment helps the authorities in their operational work to provide full support to refugees. Thus, the vehicle fleet of the two Inspectorates, GIBP and GIM, is considerably increased by these contributions. Thank you to the Ministry's development partners and good luck to our colleagues at GIBP and GIM in using the new equipment,” noted the minister.
Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova, said that by today’s donation, they continue supporting the Republic of Moldova in making its daily missions in securing the border and in the management of the refugees’ flow. “It will enable the border personnel to work in better conditions, with equipment adapted to the requirements on the ground. This delivery reflects the close collaboration between the EU and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It highlights once again our joint commitments and common vision in strengthening the security in the region,” stated the ambassador.
The Chief of Mission of IOM Moldova Lars Johan Lönnback said this support will strengthen the operational capacity of national institutions, particularly their mobility and verification capabilities, ensuring a substantial scale-up in the implementation of their mandated responsibilities. “IOM intends to continue to improve the collaboration with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and its specialized agencies in their commitment to ensure the security of Moldovan borders and protect crisis-affected migrants and their human rights, while respecting national sovereignty,” stated Lars Johan Lönnback.
In the framework of this project, 12 other cars were previously handed over to the Border Police, being assigned to subdivisions, for the purpose of their use in daily activities of control and surveillance of the state border.
The project “Supporting protection, transit, voluntary and informed return and reintegration of Eastern Partnership citizens and third-country nationals affected by the conflict in Ukraine” is funded by European Union and implemented by the International Organization for Migration in Moldova. The implementation period February 2022 - February 2025, with a budget of EUR 15 million, the primary beneficiaries are Eastern Partnership citizens and third-country nationals affected by the conflict in Ukraine, and the national authorities besides the Border Police are the General Inspectorate for Migration and the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova.
Equipping and strengthening the capabilities of MIA subdivisions are part of the implementation of priority no. 7 of the Government of the Republic of Moldova in terms of state border security.
