Moldovan Prime Minister calls for more EU help in curbing Ukraine war smuggling.
She said this in an interview with the Financial Times, noting that Moldova needs more security support from Brussels and does not want an increase in security risks, human trafficking or smuggling in the country amid the war in Ukraine. The publication wrote that illegal smuggling of weapons, people and goods from Ukraine has been a major concern for EU countries since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, exacerbated by the huge number of weapons shipped into the country over the past 11 months and the increasing number of people wanting to leave the country. In response, Brussels created a "support hub" in Moldova in an effort to monitor and suppress human trafficking attempts. This initiative, according to Natalia Gavrilita, had achieved “successful efforts to stop trafficking of arms and people." "But it needed more support, she said on the eve of two days of meetings with the European Commission, “so we don’t allow these trafficking networks to grow." Natalia Gavrilita said she expects the meetings in Brussels to discuss whether the EU can help Moldova strengthen its border security. "This is an area of mutual interest and benefit,” Gavrilița said. “We want to be contributors to European security, not just beneficiaries. We will discuss with EU officials the full range of problems that Moldova faces. We will discuss support, so that the country can move forward, so that the Moldovan economy, the Moldovan society can become more sustainable," Natalia Gavrilita said. She said Moldova will sign joint agreements with the EU this week on customs, fiscal cooperation and health care, as well as discuss trade liberalization, access to the EU mobile roaming zone and the single euro payments zone. "That would show the Moldovan people the real benefits of being a candidate country to the EU," Moldovan Prime Minister said. Earlier, EU interior ministers agreed at a meeting in late January that combating human and arms trafficking from Ukraine should be a key focus of the bloc's security policy. The EU is Moldova's largest donor, having dramatically increased financial and humanitarian aid since the war began. Last month, the EU said it would double its macro-financial assistance to our country by 145 million euros. // 06.02.2023 - InfoMarket
