A 60-day state of emergency is in place in Moldova because of the war in Ukraine. This decision was made at a parliamentary sitting on 24 February. According to the Bulgarian news agency BTA, the Prime Minister of Moldova Natalia Gavrilita presented 20 measures the authorities are going to take, among them restriction on movement, though only as a last resort.

A special regime of entry and exit, and of airspace utilization has been put in place in Moldova. The authorities will also take steps to manage the migration flow and to ensure the safety of the refugees from Ukraine. More than 7,900 people crossed the Moldova-Ukraine border yesterday alone, 400 of whom citizens of Ukraine, BTA reports.

Bulgarians in Moldova – according to official 2004 statistics around 80,000 in number, but according to unofficial data four times that number – are also worried by the war raging on the territory of their neighbour – Ukraine.

Ivan, 49, from Taraclia said for Radio Bulgaria:

“Yes, the news coming from neighbouring Ukraine really does frighten us. We too have a frozen conflict with Russia – Transnistria. What is happening in Ukraine can easily happen here, in Moldova. But we are hoping it will all be over quickly and sound reason will prevail. We are worried even though the conflict is not here, in our country. But we are all countries from the former so-called “socialist camp”, we are all brother Slavs, we should stick together.”

Anna, who is 31, adds:

“I don’t know how something like this could happen in the 21^st century. Yesterday morning I woke up to the news that war was beginning. I cannot wrap my head around it – how can we, brother Slavs – Ukrainian, Russian, Bulgarian – how can we confront each other? Why would we do that? I am very scared what might happen to my country. We live close by, our borders are close by. What is going to happen to my family, what is going to happen to the world?”