The European Union will create in Moldova an EU hub for internal security and border management of the Republic of Moldova, which will operate in Chisinau.
This is provided for by a corresponding agreement, which was signed in the Czech Republic on July 11 by the European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, and the Minister of Internal Affairs of Moldova, Ana Revenco. This new body, designed to adapt the European security architecture to crisis situations, for example, caused by the war in Ukraine, is being created just 2 months after the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Ana Revenco and her team proposed to the European Commissioner Ylva Johansson to create a similar structure in Chisinau to strengthen the security of the European space, which should also include Moldova. “Only thanks to the intervention of European Commissioner Ylva Johansson and the determination of the Czech Interior Minister today, in just 2 months, can we anchor security outside the EU. A small step for us, experts in the field of internal affairs, but a big step for the peace and tranquility of the citizens of all Europe, among whom are citizens of Moldova. In fact, together we are strengthening the security belt of Europe on the border with the war,” Ana Revenco said at the signing ceremony in Prague. “After Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine on February 24, we have worked hard to support Ukraine. We have also worked to protect our common security. Moldova is an invaluable partner in this regard. The EU Support Hub for Internal Security and Border Management in Moldova is a big step for our common security,” said European Commissioner Ylva Johansson. It is planned that in the near future representatives of law enforcement agencies of all EU countries and European agencies in the field of internal affairs will work in Chisinau. The priority areas of activity of the EU hub will be aimed at reducing the risks and threats that have been jointly identified by the EU and Moldova, including drug trafficking, weapons and human trafficking, illegal migration, illegal trafficking in radioactive substances, crime, cybercrimes. The main tasks of the Chisinau Hub are to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies and border control, in particular, by optimizing information exchange, analysis and international operational cooperation. It should be noted that European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, at a meeting of EU interior ministers in Prague on Monday, said that the EU would take measures against illegal arms trade in connection with the war in Ukraine and create a special hub for this in Moldova, which is designed to prevent the possibility of illegal sales of weapons used in the war in Ukraine to organized crime groups in Europe. According to her, not all of the numerous weapons in Ukraine are “in the right hands”, therefore, together with Ukraine and Moldova, the EU wants to fight organized crime. Acting Director General of the EU border protection agency Frontex, Aija Kalnaja, said that the border between Ukraine and Moldova is seen as a possible gateway for illegal arms dealers. “Most smuggled weapons can pass through there,” she said.// 11.07.2022 — InfoMarket
