The number of refugees in Moldova is relatively low. The country is not regarded as a country of destination, but rather as a transit one and the number of asylum seekers is on the wane. Those who yet decide to seek protection in the Republic of Moldova have very high integration potential, learn and speak the country’s official language. We got acquainted with Embark Abdalgader (in the picture), a refugee from Libya, at “AVE Copiii”, a center that offers assistance to refugees and asylum seekers in Moldova. The young man had to flee because of war and Moldova and the people here received him warmly, as he said.
---
For the first time, Embark came to Moldova in 2013, on business. One year later he returned here to find shelter from the war in his country. Six months later he obtained the status of refugee. Now he studies at a university in Chisinau. In his free time, he assists his friend who works at an abattoir and helps him with translations from the Arabic language, but he does not have an official job. He lives on the savings he made when he worked in Libya. Embark has never felt discriminated in Moldova. “There are also people who do not want to communicate with foreigners, but these are fewer in number than those who speak to foreigners. The people here are kindhearted and helpful,” said Embark.
In the Republic of Moldova, about 450 persons benefit from a particular form of international protection: asylum seekers, persons who asked to have their status of refugee recognized and recognized refugees. They enjoy the same rights as the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, including to study, to work, to benefit from medical assistance etc.
Head of the Charity Center for Refugees Djavid Paknehad said the refugees before 2016 paid by €3,000-4,000 to study. Now, owing to the changes made to the legislation, they pay the same taxes as the Moldovan citizens. The persons who obtained the status of refugee integrate easier. However, they still encounter employment-related problems, mainly those who do not know well the official language. Bureaucracy of inspection bodies is another faced problem.
“Some of the refugees run their own businesses. The competent institutions carry out all kinds of inspections. They start to look for something and find something without fail, intentionally or not. This causes inconveniences to our beneficiaries. Many of those who start a business lose this or close it in a period,” stated Djavid Paknehad.
Nezar Alrefaai obtained the status of refugee in 2012. In the period he managed to learn Romanian well. He rents an apartment and copes without state aid. He wants to start a business in agriculture. Nezar Alrefaai regrets that the refugees in Moldova cannot travel visa free in European states as the Moldovans can. The travel document issued to them does not enable them to do so. “Other refugees from the European area can easier travel in other countries and enter Moldova, but we cannot travel to other states visa free with this document. We are locked here and this is the most painful thing for us,” said Nezar Alrefaai.
According to the head of the Statelessness and Information Section of the Ministry of the Interior Iulian Popov, each state has the sovereign right to decide the country entry conditions. The Republic of Moldova signed bilateral or multilateral agreements with other states that enable to travel visa free. “We travel in the CIS and the European Union visa free based on association agreements. When the entry requirements are negotiated, particular conditions are imposed. Each state decides whether to give this right to refugees or not. We cannot oblige other states to allow refugees with travel documents from the Republic of Moldova to travel to them visa free,” explained Iulian Popov. He said the solution for refugees is to obtain a visa.
Iulian Popov noted the Republic of Moldova is the only country in the CIS space that has a legal framework on the integration of foreigners who are on its territory, including those who have the status of refugee or enjoy humanitarian protection. “Currently, we are adjusting the regulations to the existing legislation and work out mechanisms of cooperation with the local and central authorities. We plan to set up integration centers in Balti, Cahul, and Comrat. Now we have such a center in Chisinau. These will help the foreigners to integrate into society, to find a job, to receive social assistance, etc. We take steps based on the possibilities of the state,” said Iulian Popov.
According to the Bureau for Migration and Asylum, of the 450 beneficiaries of international protection, about 200 are citizens of Syria. Head of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Traian Turcanu said the refugees who are in Moldova are educated people, with higher education and with a rich inner world. “They come with a message of peace and do not ask much. They just want to be accepted as long as their countries face wars. These people showed a lot of courage and are an example,” stated Traian Turcanu.
During 20 years since the UN agency started work in Moldova, fewer than 2,000 persons filed applications for asylum, but not all these people were recognized as refugees. In 2016, there were over 65 million displaced people worldwide. One third of these were refugees.
Sabina Rebeja, IPN
