sign in sign up
<<
Home , Cabinet of Moldova, Comrat, Dniester, Moldova, Moldovan leu, Prut

CONNECT Sharing local and regional governments’ expertise worldwide Background information -

Project summary Project number 11347.3 Name of project CONNECT exchange Moldova

Modality Round Table Expert Meeting

Period of the knowledge exchange A general introduction to the country

Official country name of Moldova Brief history Moldova today is characterized by two historic regions divided by the River. Tsarist governed the territory east of the river, while the region in the west was governed by Romanian . In 1812 Bessarabia was annexed by the . This however, did not last and in 1918, after the , Bessarabia declared its independence. Two months after this declaration the newly formed Democratic Moldavian Republic united with . Russia never recognized this union. This unity lasted till 1940, the year the country was annexed by the as a consequence of the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact of 1939. Romania was compelled to cede Bessarabia to the Soviet Union, leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (Moldavian SSR). However, this merging of areas did not lead to unity. The industrialized territory to the east of the Dniester, generally known as Transdniestria or Dniester region was formally an autonomous with before 1940. This area is mainly inhabited by Russian and Ukrainian speakers.

Source: BBC

As people there became increasingly alarmed at the prospect of closer ties with Romania in the tumultuous years of the Soviet Union, Transdniestria unilaterally declared independence from Moldova in 1990. The independence of Transdniestria has never been recognized and the region has existed in a state of limbo ever since. On 27 August 1991, as part of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Moldavian SSR declared independence and took the name Moldova. The current of Moldova was adopted in 1994, who grants special autonomy status to Transdniestria. In 2014 signed Moldova an association agreement with the , prompting Russia to impose import restrictions on the country’s agricultural produce.

Geography Moldova is a little nation in Easter which is wedged between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east, and south. The country covers 33.843,5 sq km, which is twice the size of . The Republic of Moldova belongs to the group of countries located in the Basin. The capital is Chișinău, and with 669.694 citizens it is by far the largest and liveliest city in the country. The largest part of the nation lies between two rivers, the Dniester and the . The country is characterized by gently rolling steppes and the relief of the country represents a hilly plain sloping, having an average elevation of around 147m above the sea level. The countries hydrographic network includes more than 3.000 rivers and rivulets and even more exiting are the 2.200 natural water springs.

Climate Moldova has a climate which is moderately continental. Due to its proximity to the Black Sea Moldova has a lengthy frost-free period, short mild winters, lengthy hot summers and long dry periods in the south. During the summer, temperature can rise up till 28 °C (82.4 °F). Winters are relatively mild and dry, with January temperatures averaging −4 °C (25 °F). Annual rainfall, ranges from around 600 mm (24 inch) in the north to 400 mm (16 inch) in the south, nevertheless long dry spells are not unusual. The heaviest rainfall occurs in early summer and again in October; heavy showers and thunderstorms are common. Political system The constitution of 1994 created a new constitutional framework for the Moldovan . It established a unicameral parliament whose members are directly elected to four-year terms. Another round of elections is held to select the president, who serves as the to a four- year term. The president shares executive power with the Council of Ministers (cabinet), which is led by the prime minister, who is designated by the president (after consultation with the parliamentary majority) and approved by the parliament. A system like this, where powers are divided between president and prime minister, is called a semi-presidential system. The constitution also grants special autonomy status to Transdniestria and established an autonomous administrative region known as Gauzia. Its capital is in , where a governor, an executive committee, and a legislature sit. However, foreign policy, defense and monetary issues are still under the control of the Moldovan government. In 2003 the country reorganized its administrative-territorial organization. Nowadays is the country organized in administrative-territorial units: the (commune), sector, city () and districts. A village is an administrative territorial unit in which two or more can be united depending on the economic, social-cultural, geographical and demographical conditions. A city is the territorial administrative unit which is more developed than the village from an economic and social cultural point of view. This unit is administered by elected town and village councils and . However, a city is not the same as a . Moldova has 5 : Chisinau, Balti, Tighina, and Comrat. The administrative territorial organization of Moldova is made on two levels. The first level is constituted by the villages (communes), sectors and (municipiu). The second level is constitutes of the districts, Chisinau municipality and the Balti municipalities. Moldova has a total of 32 of those districts who coordinate the activities of the cities. The citizens of Moldova also have the right to elect the people active in these districts.

Demography Moldova faces demographic challenges as rapid ageing and a low fertility spark fears about . According to statistics from July 2017; 3.474.121million people reside in the country of Moldova. Compared to the 4 million people that lived in Moldova in 1996, there is a rapid decline. Of these total inhabitants 16,6 per is aged 60 years or older, a figure that is expected to more than double to 33.6 per cent by 2050. Meanwhile, the fertility rate is only 1.24, well below the replacement rate of 2.1. This means that faces a negative population growth rate of -1.05%. Because of this, active and healthy ageing is not accessible for more than 70% of the people aged 55 years and older (UN, 2016). Young people emigrating from Moldova in search of better prospects means that the country has a negative migration rate of -9.4 migrants/ 1.000population. Almost half of the population, 45.2%, lives in the cities and the other 1.903.818 live in rural residents. Of all its citizens, 75,1% declared itself Moldovan. 7% Romanian, 6,6% Ukrainian, 4.6% Gagauz, 4.1% Russian, 1.9% Bulgarian.

Religion According to statistics the population of Moldova has the following religious composition: 90.1% are Eastern Orthodox . 2.6% can be categorized as other Christians and only 0.2% is atheist. The constitution provides freedom of religion and the government generally respects this right in practice. However, the Law on religions contains restrictions that inhibit the activities of unregistered religious groups. There is no state religion, nevertheless the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova (orthodox churches) receives some favored treatment from the government. Culture 80.2% of are of Romanian descent and as a result of close historical, linguistic and cultural ties with Romania do many Moldovans see themselves as Romanian. 56.7% identify their mother tongue as Moldovan which is virtually the same as Romanian. Moldovans/ in the region between the rivers Prut and Dniestr sometimes call themselves Bessarabians. The local language is Romanian, but Russian is widely used.

Unlike Romanians, a high percentage of Moldovans have an ethnically mixed family background. Moldova is a multi-ethnic republic that has rarely suffered from ethnic violence. Nevertheless, the country experienced full- fledged civil war during the Transdniestrian conflict. This conflict was caused by the fact that much of the Moldovan industry was located in the separatist region of Transdniestria. This region is also the source of much of Moldova’s electricity, which has been cut off at various times. Even though this conflict had a strong ethnic component, it was not ethnic by nature, it was fought mainly between the new independence-minded political elite in Chișinău and conservative pro-Soviet forces in Tiraspol. Although a cease-fire was declared in 1992 relations remained tense.

Mamaliga, a hard corn porridge, is regarded as the national dish. It is poured onto a flat surface in the shape of a big cake and is served mainly with cheese, sour cream or milk. Moreover, it is proper to drink at least a symbolic amount of during a meal or in a ritual context to honor the host and toast the health of the people present. Occasionally in villages, toasting with the left hand may not be regarded as proper. It is improper to blow one’s nose at the table. Smoking in private homes is an uncommon practice; both hosts and guests usually go outside or onto the balcony to smoke. In villages, it is highly improper for women to smoke in public.

Economy Moldova is a small lower-middle-income economy. Although it is the poorest country in Europe it has made significant progress in reducing poverty and promoting inclusive growth since the early 2000s. The national poverty rate fell from 30.2% in 2006 to 16.6% in 2012 (WorldBank, 2018). For Moldova it was difficult to transition from a controlled economy to a free market economy. A largely agricultural economy based on state and collective farms had been developed under Soviet rule. When many of these farms were broken up and turned over to individuals after independence, considerable dislocation, loss of productivity, and allegations of corruption resulted. This economic transition was further impeded, as described earlier, by the fact that much of Moldovan industry was located in the separatist region of Transdniestria. Due to a decrease in industrial and agricultural output, the service sector has grown to dominate Moldova's economy and currently composes over 60% of the nation's GDP. It has a small tourism sector since Moldova is the least visited country in Europe by tourists. Besides gypsum and very small gas and oil reserves, the country has no natural resources and is totally dependent on energy imports, mainly from Russia.

Other The parliamentary elections of 2014 also brought political instability. Three pro-European parties failed to form a coalition for a majority government. The Democratic Party of Moldova (PDM) and the Liberal Democratic Party of Moldova (PLDM) failed to come to an agreement with the (LP), hence the minority government was formed, backed up by the Communist Party. Only on 30 July 2015, a new pro-European majority government was sworn in, ending the uncertain political discourse. However, regardless of the unstable political conditions, the Moldovan government managed to sign the planned far-reaching Association Agreement with the EU in the fall of 2014 and remains committed to its chosen pro-European course.

It should furthermore be noted that since the pro-democratic parties came to power in 2009, there has been some progress in areas of individual freedoms and democratization.

Across Moldova, women are underrepresented as voters and in leading positions in the government, politics, business and civil society – despite their proven abilities as leaders and agents of change, and their right to participate equally in democratic governance. Women's representation in Moldovan politics and decision-making is below international benchmarks.

Human trafficking remains a serious problem as well. The country is a major source for women and girls trafficked abroad for the purposes of , mainly to Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union, , Romania, , the Middle East, and the European Union.

Information regarding the local or regional government association

Name Congress of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM)

Contact person Alexandru Osadci – Programme Coordinator [email protected] Tel: +373 79588157

Adress Columna srt. 106a, 2nd floor Chisinau, Moldova Goal/mission Association of local governments from Moldova Objectives - promotion and advocacy of local autonomy and local democracy both at the national and international level - local democracy, local government and decentralization oriented national policies - national and international funds and programs for local governments

Information regarding the local or regional governments Name - Lead applicant; Telita City Hall is Located in the Aneii Noi district, and composed of two Telita City Hall villages, Telita and Telita Noua. According to 2004 census the total population is 1500

Other applicants:  Gura Bicului City Hall (All from the Aneii noi  Speia City Hall district)  Serpeni City Hall  Roscani City Hall  Varnita City Hall

District information Aneii noi district – is a district in the central part of Moldova. According to the 2011 population consensus its population was 83.100. The important city of Chisinau is within relatively easy reach of Aneii Noi District, located approximately 31 kilometres to the northwest.

Main challenges In the republic of Moldova the Waste Management services develop chaotically and inconsistently. Sanitation services apply the method of disposal of landfill or existing landfills, which in most cases are not authorized and are a major source of soil and groundwater pollution. These landfill sites do not meet modern environmental standards in their location, design, construction and operation. Waste deposited are not compacted or covered with inert materials to prevent fires and spread unpleasant odors. There is no control of the quality and quantity of waste in storage sites, there is no national gas storage or collection, recovery / treatment of leachate program, access to waste disposal sites not maintained, vehicles and other equipment is not cleaned, the waste disposal sites are not fenced, guarded and marked. Almost every community has its own landfill, which spreads the communicates in the DRC with waste and light wind fractions.

The experience of recent years shows that the investments in the field are not properly coordinated and have not allowed to achieve the expected results in the field of waste management in the Republic of Moldova. Sources of operational revenue for the waste management system are a combination of budget allocations and revenue collections, but they cannot cover the costs of the entire sector management. Local authorities have neither the opportunity nor the framework documents to help them promote cost-effective waste management. With the signing of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement, local authorities are obliged by precise directives to establish modern waste collection and management services, but the Local Authorities do not have the skills necessary for prominent and measurable results. They need to understand how to implement secondary legislation on different types of waste, the payment system that supports and ensures the viability of this process, and the way in which LPAs are involved. An increased interest is given to the systems regarding the extended liability of producers in the context of solid waste management, planned to be implemented in the Republic of Moldova, as well as to the international practice in this regard.

Venue Site – Chisinau The capital Chisinau is by far Moldova’s largest and liveliest city and its main transport hub. While the city’s origins date back six centuries to 1420, much of Chisinau was levelled in WWII and a tragic earthquake that struck in 1940. The city was rebuilt in Soviet style from the 1950s onwards and both the centre and outskirts are dominated by utilitarian buildings. That said, the centre does have a few architectural gems remaining, and is surprisingly green and peaceful. According to the 2014 census, the city had a population of 532.513 people. Moreover, Chisinau is a good place for food lovers. There are plenty of good places to eat all over Chisinau.

Development cooperation in the region Regional and local  Communes constituted an intercommunity waste collection company programmes based in Speia. Together with ADR and ecology services, the temporary storage and separation platform was set up at the site of an ineligible landfill in Telita  Town halls and local councils have set a priority for solving the problem of household waste and have set up a public land in Telita, which will be set up as a temporary storage and waste management platform

Checklist Moldova Vaccination & Medical Before you leave always check with your doctor. Make sure you are up-to- date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles- mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. The Centre for Disease Controle and Prevention (CDC) recommends the Hepatitis A vaccine because you can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in Moldova regardless of where you are eating or staying. Consult your doctor or travel clinic as early as possible since it can take anything up to eight weeks to complete a full course of immunizations. All inoculations should be recorded on an international travel vaccination card, which is worth carrying with you in case you get sick.

VISA regulations for EU Nationals of all European Union and CIS member states, plus , countries , Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, , , Chile, Ecuador, , , , , , , Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, , , New Zealand, , , , , Singapore, , , Turkey, the and the Vatican, in addition to stateless persons and refugees residing in those countries may enter Moldova visa-free for up to 90 days.

Citizens of the European Union, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Switzerland can enter Moldova using a national ID card in lieu of a passport. Nationals of other countries must obtain an electronic visa at http://www.evisa.gov.md/VisaFile/Inregistrare, or, for stays longer than 90 days, at the nearest Moldovan embassy. Visas are not issued on arrival. Foreign nationals who require visas, with the exception of Antigua and Barbuda, , Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, , , Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Venezuela, will be required to provide an invitation letter in order to obtain a visa.

Travel information ANNEX I gives travel advice provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acquired on July 9th, 2018. There are safety risks when traveling to Trandsniestria due to exceptional political circumstances. Authorities in trandsniestria focus strongly on the political course of Russia. Because of the unstable situation in neighboring country Ukraine is it possible that tensions rise. The political and security situation stays unstable, it is therefore of importance to stay updated and follow messages of the media. Especially in larger cities street occur and pickpockets are often active in busy places. Tourists can become the target of money / exchange tricks and credit card fraud. Do not lose sight of your credit card if you play with it

Emergency numbers Moldova country code: 373 Police: 902 Ambulance: 903 fire department: 901

Money Moldova uses the (Symbol: L), code MDL Banknotes come in denominations of 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 lei. The Moldovan economy is traditionally cash-driven, you may not always be able to pay by card (particularly outside of the Chisinau). The most widely accepted foreign are the US Dollar and the . You should carry some Euro cash.

Do’s and ’ts When travelling in Moldova, there are some do’s and don’ts which are important to observe: DOs in Moldova  Ask for permission before taking photographs of any Moldovan people.  When visiting Moldova, be careful when referring to the locals as Romanians as not all Moldovans identify themselves as such. Study your host first: some Moldovans identify as Moldovan, some as Romanian, and some even as Russian. This also applies to the language issue as well, although the larger part of Moldovans do refer to it as Romanian in everyday speech. Also be careful when talking about Moldova to the Romanians in Romania. Many Romanians view Moldova as Romanian.  The heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater. If you are concerned, water for drinking, cooking and oral hygiene should be taken from a known safe source, as ordinary water treatment, including boiling, does not remove such chemical contamination.  It is highly recommendable as a non-Russian or Romanian speaking person, to have a local person/hotel or restaurant call your taxi, as few Taxi drivers speak proper English.  Conservative dress must be worn at religious sites. Shorts are forbidden and women must cover their heads inside the monasteries and churches.  Travellers are required to have their passports on them at all times.  While bribery and police corruption are still problems in Moldova, the situation is improving. It is advised that tourists have the number of their embassy and the contact information of where they are staying.  If you travel to , you will travel right into the age and time of the old Soviet Union. It is wise to get a reliable guide to show you around. Once you are 'in', you'll find the population very friendly and helpful. Especially in remote areas where no stranger has been for ages, people will open up a museum for you even if it is their day off. Also, you can expect a lengthy meal to be offered to you just in your honour  The break-away region Transnistria has proclaimed itself a republic but lacks diplomatic recognition. Consequently, travellers lack consular support in case of emergency. Corrupt policemen may give you trouble, and may give excuses such as not having a 'visa'. If you do visit Transnistria, as a foreign citizen, you should register with the Militia upon arrival. It can become difficult trying to leave if you have not done this. Give your name to the representative of your country in Chisinau and tell them what date you travel to and from Transnistria.  Bring a little present when invited to someone’s house as a guest: a bottle of wine, a cake or a bouquet of flowers. And don’t worry to be late, it is normal to be late by up to 30 minutes in Moldova  Take of your shoes upon entering a home.

Don’ts .  Alcohol consumption can be a problem. Moldova's per capita alcohol consumption rate is among of the 's largest. Running into drunks especially at night is common. Most are friendly; they often come off as aggressive and will invade your personal space. This can be scary the first couple of times. Politely walking away normally works. For your own safety, don't drink too much alcohol at dinner occasions since they will offer you more than you can handle.  If a host entertains you at wine it does not mean that you have to drink a full glass of wine.  Don’t put your thumb between your first two fingers – this is a very rude gesture  Do not shake hands across the doorstep

Further reading: Playing the Moldovans at Tennis (2002) is British comedian Tony Hawks' literature dated but nevertheless hilarious account of his visit to a much bleaker Moldova in the mid-'90s to satisfy a drunken bet, challenging him to defeat the entire Moldovan football team at tennis. It was later made into a film in 2012. Moldova took a mild PR hit in The Geography of Bliss (2008) by American writer , who recounts his visit to the alleged 'least happy nation on the planet'. The Moldovans: Romania, Russia and the Politics of Culture (1999) by Charles King is an informed, textbook-style snapshot of this 'intriguing East European borderland'.

Bibliography - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova#Geography - http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17601580 - https://wikitravel.org/en/Moldova - https://lobbyfacts.eu/representative/974d180942bb45028f89 8beef5957b51/congress-of-local-authorities-from-moldova - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/moldova/chisinau/travel-tips- and-articles/moldovan-mini-break-two-days-in- chisinau/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d276e5a3 - https://www.europeanforum.net/countries/moldova - http://calm.md/index.php?l=en#idc=62& - http://www.moldova.md/en/content/history - https://www.travelocity.com/Anenii-Noi- District.d3000433626.Destination-Travel-Guides - Lonely Planet Moldavia https://vuonlen089.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/europe-5- moldova_v1_m56577569830517964.pdf - https://www.britannica.com/place/Moldova/Government-and- society - http://www.moldova.md/en/content/administrative-territorial- organization-moldova - http://md.one.un.org/content/unct/moldova/en/home/pressce nter/press-releases/70--din-popula_ia-in-varst-de-55-ani-i- peste-din-republica-moldo.html - http://eeca.unfpa.org/en/news/improving-demographic- policies-moldova-international-expertise?page=0%2C8 - https://www.indexmundi.com/moldova/demographics_profile. html - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_Moldov a - http://www.everyculture.com/Ma-Ni/Moldova.html - http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/moldova/overview#3 - http://www.logisticsmoldova.com/about/etiquette/ - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/mold ova - https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/moldova/money - https://www.nederlandwereldwijd.nl/reizen/reisadviezen/mold avie - http://calm.md/?l=en

ANNEX I