04/23/2022 15:53(act. 04/23/2022 15:53)
Takacs wants to visit border crossings and an initial reception center in Moldova. ©APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH
Refugee coordinator Michael Takacs travels to the Republic of Moldova on Monday to get an idea of the refugee situation. Visits to border posts and an initial reception center are planned.
In the small neighboring country of Ukraine, with about 2.6 million inhabitants, 600,000 entries have already been registered. Austria has agreed to take in 2,000 refugees from Moldova. A quarter of them have arrived so far. Takacs plans to visit border posts and meet with representatives of humanitarian organizations.
Refugee coordinator Takacs travels to Moldova
There are also engagements with mayors, who play an important role in Moldova, particularly in welcoming displaced people. In addition, Takacs will meet with representatives from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Interior, as well as visit an initial reception and registration center and a hospital. The objective is to discuss the supply situation in loco with those responsible so that Austria can also continue to support these countries, the APA said. The tiny country of Moldova borders the EU and NATO member Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east.
Austria wants to offer on-site assistance to the Republic of Moldova
“The experience of the last few weeks shows that the majority of displaced people from Ukraine want to stay in the vicinity of Ukraine and are not making an effort to travel to other European countries. This means that our help is needed on the ground, above all to be able to sustain the next weeks,” said the federal government’s refugee coordinator. The government refugee coordinator assured Austria that he would do his best to provide support in coordination with organizations and authorities in Moldova.
Visit to border posts and planned initial reception center
On Monday, Takac will visit the Palanca and Tudora border posts with Ukraine, which are nearly 60 kilometers from the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. The small former Soviet republic is particularly affected by the refugee movement. Moldova will not be able to handle the influx of refugees in the long term, the refugee coordinator said on Thursday.
The problem turned out to be that refugee organizations UNHCR and IOM were finding it difficult to find enough refugees willing to leave the country, Takac said in the run-up to the trip. Currently, 15 states are participating in air transport. Austria will have another slot in two weeks, but first it needs to fill up the plane. Austria has brought around 500 Ukrainian displaced people from the Republic of Moldova to Austria in seven evacuation flights so far.
Moldova fears Russian invasion
In the Republic of Moldova, there are fears that after a victory by Russian invading troops in Ukraine, the Kremlin could also invade the small neighboring country with its army. According to Deputy Commander of Russia’s Central Military District, Rustam Minnekayev, Russia is aiming for full control of the Donbass and a land corridor to the annexed Crimean peninsula. This should happen as part of a second phase of the military operation, quoted the Interfax news agency on Friday. In this way, a “land connection” with Crimea and Transnistria could be created.
Transnistria is a breakaway region in eastern Moldova. The region broke away from Moldova, but this is not recognized internationally. The breakaway republic has been ruled by a pro-Russian regime and supported by Russian troops since the 1990s.