Impact of Russian aggression on East Europe Germany offers the Republic of Moldova support

Press release 4 March 2022 | BERLIN / CHISINAU – The German government is offering to support the Republic of Moldova in its efforts to deal with the impact of the Russian attack on Ukraine. Since the start of the war, more than 100,000 people have fled to the Republic of Moldova alone – a country with less than three million inhabitants. The Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMZ, Niels Annen, is talking to the government of the Republic of Moldova today to discuss how Germany can best assist the country.

Parliamentary State Secretary Niels Annen said: “The Russian attack, in violation of international law, is not only bringing immeasurable suffering to Ukraine. It is shaking the entire region, putting a question mark over the European peace order. That is why, especially now, Germany stands firmly by the side of our reform-oriented East European partners. For almost 30 years, Germany has been a reliable development partner for the Republic of Moldova in its process of transitioning towards a social market economy, the rule of law and democracy. Today, this partnership is more important than ever.”

Parliament in Chișinău, Republic of Moldova

The Parliamentary State Secretary will have high-level meetings in Chișinău with the key partners of Germany's development cooperation. On the agenda are meetings with Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița, Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Andrei Spinu and representatives of international organisations and other donors. In addition, Annen will visit a refugee camp on the border to Ukraine to see firsthand how the refugee situation is being dealt with and will meet representatives of the local government. The focus in all meetings will be on how Germany can best support the Republic of Moldova in its efforts to master this crisis. Last year alone, the German government was able to provide 37.5 million euros of support for the areas of municipal development, private sector development and vocational training.

Parliamentary State Secretary Niels Annen said: “The Russian invasion of Ukraine has already forced more than one million people to flee to neighbouring countries. More than 100,000 children, women and men have fled to the Republic of Moldova. The people there and the authorities have received them with tremendous solidarity and willingness to help. The country and its people are demonstrating exceptional commitment. We want to offer targeted support in this crisis context, in particular for host communities, and contribute to stabilising the situation. That is what I will be discussing during my visit with the Moldovan partners.”