The Country Coordination Mechanism met on the sixth session

On December 1^st, in the Bureau of Migration and Asylum, Refugees Directorate, took place the sixth meeting of the Country Coordination Mechanism. The partners involved have discussed about the success obtained and the difficulties encountered during the implementation period of the program Local Integration of Refugees in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine.

An overview on the evolution of the program was presented by Mr. Peter Kessler, UNHCR Representative in Moldova, who mentioned the importance of refugees’ integration into the society, providing of living conditions, of equal rights with citizens of the Moldovan Republic. 

Mrs. Ecaterina Silvestru, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Migration and Asylum, Chief of Refugees Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, noted that because of the lack of funds wasn’t possible the renovation of more buildings from different regions, for the refugee accommodation. In the future we aim the organization of some meetings with the population of the villages were the refugees will be accommodated, to let them know what means to live with strangers, it will be a moment of tolerance education among the local population.

Project Coordinator, NGO “Ave Children”, Ms. Natalia Postaru, said at the meeting that during the project refugees received medical care and assistance, humanitarian aid etc. The purpose of the organization is to offer conditions for the integration into the society, but not to make our beneficiaries dependents on our services – concluded Postaru, which also stated that the refugees should be directly involved into the process of social integration.

During the meeting was also pointed out that refugees have received requalification and professional trainings, support for the employment and were monitored throughout the project.

Ms. Cornelia Ciofu, Social Projects Manager, NGO “Center of Business Counseling”, said that the refugees’ problems during employment are the linguistic barriers and the fact that they don’t have graduation diplomas of some institutions in which they obtained a specialization. That is why we try to offer professional trainings courses.

Regarding the Romanian language courses for refugees, Mrs. Svetlana Jioara, Program Associate, UNHCR Moldova mentioned that upon the entry into force of the new law on integration, methodology must be developed by the Ministry of Education and the courses for refugees will be offered for free.

Ensuring quality services for refugees, organizing frequent visits to each beneficiary as often etc, was other aspects discussed in the meeting.

The project partners have proposed to continue the support of the refugees located on the territory of our country.

Ariadna URSACHI,

Student-journalist,

ULIM