Austria will provide Moldova with more than 10 million euros in financial and humanitarian assistance for development and managing the refugee crisis.
This was stated by Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg during a joint press conference in Chisinau with colleagues from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Moldova. He noted that this assistance will be officially announced within the framework of the international support platform for Moldova, which will be launched on April 5 in Berlin by Germany, France and Romania. The Austrian Foreign Minister noted that 5 million euros of the allocated assistance will replenish the traditional development assistance provided by Austria to Moldova, and more than 5 million euros will be provided as part of a total assistance package in the amount of 17.5 million euros for Ukraine and neighboring countries. Alexander Schallenberg called it very important that these funds be used to support those who help refugees, including Moldovan citizens who have taken in victims of the war in Ukraine. Alexander Schallenberg, as well as the Foreign Ministers of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Jan Lipavsky and Ivan Korčok, expressed their full support for Moldova on the path of reforms and the process of European integration, noting that their joint visit to Chisinau is a strong signal of support for our country, which is an important part of Europe, and the EU will continue to help in every way. Jan Lipavsky noted that the Czech Republic has already provided Moldova with financial and material assistance in the amount of 3.5 million euros, as well as 400 thousand euros to non-governmental organizations that deal with the issue of refugees, and the assistance will continue. At the same time, Slovak Foreign Minister Ivan Korčok stressed that Moldova is on the path of reforms, and the EU countries urge it to continue this path, despite the complexity of the current situation. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg stressed that the main thing for Moldova now is to continue reforms. “Yes, February 24 changed a lot, and Europe will never be the same again. And we must admit that there are many questions about the work of the Eastern Partnership. But we must adapt, build a new world. But the main thing is that we should be together in this free Western world,” the Austrian diplomat said. // 01.04.2022 — InfoMarket
