Citizens will receive alerts about emergency situations and disasters through their mobile phone. Following the first reading, Parliament ratified the Loan Agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the implementation of the project to support the disaster risk management and the resilience of the Republic of Moldova. The state will get a US$40 million loan from the World Bank in advantageous terms, IPN reports.
A sum of US$5 million will go to develop the public warning system. A PWS system with national coverage, based on mobile telephony, will be installed and operationalized. It will allow emergency warnings to be disseminated.
$22.5 million will go to purchase emergency response vehicles and other equipment that will be used by the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations.
$1.5 million is earmarked for community emergency preparedness.
Also, US$6 million will be invested in improving hydrometeorological services. Thus, the hydrometeorological observing systems will be modernized, and forecast visualization systems and meteorological workstations will be installed at the State Weather Service.
US$2 million will be used to carry out feasibility studies for seismic risk reduction and to work out a national methodology for seismic and disaster risk maps for both the housing sector and for public buildings.
The loan is repayable in 30 years, with a grace period of 5 years. It will be repaid in semiannual instalments.
Parliament is due to ratify the Loan Agreement after this will be given a second reading.
