No. 8 (15), August 2008 POLITICAL & SECURITY Monthly analytical bulletin on Moldova issued by IDIS “Viitorul” STATEWATCH Focus Moldova under Water: A Crisis That Could Have Been Anticipated The Rise of a New Russia: How Long “Independent Moldova” Can Survive? The Uncertainty of the Republic of Moldova’s Security Policy in the Framework of the Regional Insecurity Increase www.viitorul.org The Institute for Development and Social Initiatives (IDS) Viitorul is a research, education and outreach organization which activates in the field of economic analysis, governance, law, political VIITORUL sciences, strategic and organizational science. It was set up in June 1993 in Moldova as a nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization, nonpolitical entity. POLITICAL & SECURITY STATEWATCH DOMESTIC by Ion Marandici POLICY SECTOR [email protected] August 2008 August Moldova under Water: A Crisis 2 That Could Have Been Anticipated Overview authorities and the separatist regime. The tensions between Moldova and Ukraine have During the last days of July and the first risen when Ukraine announced it decided to No. 8 (15) No. decade of August, Moldova had to face the open the gates of the Novodnestrovsk dam challenge of flooding. Ukraine, Romania, thus increasing suddenly the flow of water Hungary and Slovakia were in the same in the river. The opening of the gates led to situation. There were no human losses, but the creation of two giant waves and it was the damage caused by the natural disaster not sure that the barrier constructed at the could have been avoided, if the country’s crisis Dubasari accumulation lake would resist. The management agencies would have been better Moldovan authorities were unprepared, but informed and better prepared. The North managed to evacuate in time the population and the South of the country were mostly from the villages under threat. affected. At the end of the article, several recommendations were issued in order to International Federation of Red Cross improve the crisis management capabilities of estimated that the floods that hit Ukraine and the Moldovan specialized agencies. Moldova were the most severe during the last two centuries. Romania, Hungary and Slovakia suffered too from bad weather. The The Extent of the Disaster Red Cross Federation declared that in Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, 42 persons died and Last year, Republic of Moldova was affected 40 000 were evacuated. The total damage in all by droughts and needed international three countries amounts to one billion Euros assistance. This year, heavy rainfalls in the and trying to alleviate the consequences Red Northern part of Moldova led to increased Cross launched a campaign of help during the water flow of the two major rivers in the next eight months. country: Prut and Nistru. As a result of the rains, 46 villages were The greatest threats were posed by the flooded and 836 houses and 10,500 ha of increased amount of water in the artificial agricultural land were covered with water. lakes at Stânca-Costeşti (Prut) and the A significant part of the wine harvest of the Dubăsari Lake (Nistru). On July 30, Romanian Republic has been destroyed. Some 5,700 and Moldovan authorities agreed to discharge people were evacuated by authorities from water from the Stanca-Costesti Lake. As a the flooded areas to temporary shelters in result 27 localities on the left bank of Prut schools, hostels and tent camps. The northern were flooded and over 30 localities on the parts of Moldova, especially Briceni and right bank of Prut were inundated, but Ocnita were hit first. The first alert came population was evacuated in time.While the on July 28 and in one night authorities situation on the Prut River was controlled, had to organize the evacuation. Villages of the situation on the Nistru river depended Drepcauti, Criva, Sireuti, Lipcani (Briceni), much on the actions of the Ukrainian Valcinet (Ocnita), town of Soroca, Cosernita Monthly analytical bulletin on Moldova issued by IDIS VIITORUL POLITICAL & SECURITY STATEWATCH (Criuleni), town of Vadul lui Voda (Chisinau), affected families. The persons who have lost Delacau (Anenii-Noi), Braniste, Avrameni, their harvest will also receive compensations. 2008 August Reteni, Duruitoarea, Demeni (Riscani) were The harvest on a total area of 3318 hectares in flooded. In Briceni, a local school was flooded. private property was lost and it is estimated In Otaci, tens of families remained without that 5,400 families will get as compensation 10 natural gas for a few days. The water pump 000 lei for each hectare of farmland flooded. station that provides Chisinau with water was The Minister of Agriculture was announcing under threat, but during the whole period on August 5 that in the whole country there of crisis Constantin Becciev, the director of were 6900 hectares of farmland flooded of the municipal public company “Apa-Canal” which 5500 with crop. 3 declared the management of the company was prepared to cope with the flooding. International and National Expression of Solidarity 8 (15) No. During the first days of disaster, 1371 children were evacuated from various summer camps. In order to evaluate the damage caused by During the first decade of August, the South the flood a special commission was created. of the country was affected. On August 11, According to the Commission, a total of 1 the level of Prut River has increased and some 813 houses and hundreds of summer houses areas of the Leca village in Cantemir district were flooded on the right bank. The damage were flooded as well as areas in natural on the left bank, in the separatist region of parks. The Prut water invaded the Ungheni- Transnistria was even greater. Despite the Vale border crossing point and threatened proposal, the unrecognized authorities in the Danuteni village. The villages of Serpeni, Tiraspol did not accept the help offered by the Puhaceni, Calfa, Anenii-Noi have suffered. Chisinau officials. The Stefan-Voda district was the one affected the most by the Nistru waters; villages of After the deluge, 3000 wells from the existing Talmaza, Purcari, Rascaieti, Ciobruciu, 4500 needed to be cleaned. For cleaning the Tudora, Olanesti, Crocmaz and Palanca wells a national project was started with suffered the most. a total budget of 700 000 lei. The ecologic damages were also enormous. Minister of The final evaluation of the Moldovan Ecology, Violeta Ivanov claimed the overflows Government states that the floods have caused “hurt” a lot the Moldovan flora and fauna. damages valued to 120 millions USD of which: 20% are damages to the infrastructure, 15% International relief services consider that are losses resulting from the flooding of Moldova asked too late for assistance from the agricultural areas. The bulk of the damage is international community. Especially pumps represented by the damage caused to houses, for evacuating the water were needed. The summer residencies, shops, summer camps, Transnistrian authorities asked instead for various health resorts etc. Most of the houses help from the Russian Federation Duma. Only were completely destroyed in Briceni (186) and later the leader of the self-proclaimed republic Stefan-Voda (34). addressed a message seeking help from the international community. At present, the most urgent task is to find housing for the remaining 233 families without The effort to overcome the disaster was shelter and to repair other 149 houses. As of understood by some parties as an attempt to August 28, the Moldovan Government bought organize political campaigning. The case of the 77 houses for the victims of the flooding. Liberal Party in Briceni district is revealing. It was considered that it is cheaper to buy Liberal Party has sent some of its young houses, than to build new ones. Another members to the villages of Drepcauti and governmental decision was to offer to each Criva in Briceni district to help the victims of victim for the purpose of rebuilding the the natural calamity. According to the press, homes: 1 ton of cement and 1, 5 m3 of wood. the mayor of Drepcauti and the president UNICEF offered 500 lei for each child from the of the district belonging to the Party of POLITICAL & SECURITY STATEWATCH Communists chased the young people away Strengthening the Capacity fearing they would gain political influence of Crisis Management Agencies in the region. As a response the leader of Is Needed the Liberal Party promised 100 000 lei to the victims in both villages and additionally Major agencies involved in the crisis promised to donate three water cranes. Our management were the Agency for Material Moldova Alliance party mobilized its local Reserves, Public Procurement and August 2008 August leadership and created crisis cells in the Humanitarian Aid, the Agency for Water affected regions. Resources, the Extraordinary Governmental Commission for Evaluating the Damage On the public bank account, opened to help 4 caused by the Flood, the Direction for Civil the victims as of August 28, already 17, 5 Protection and Exceptional Situations from millions lei were gathered. The major part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Armed the money will be spent for compensations. Forces and the Meteorological Prognosis The major donors were state-owned Center. The presidency and the government companies, agencies and private banks and assumed the whole responsibility and even as well as foreign governments. Generally, if Our Moldova Alliance party pleaded for No. 8 (15) No. 31, 4 tons of humanitarian aid was received an extraordinary parliamentary session, the from the population and economic agents. Parliament did not assemble. As a whole 2650 persons showed compassion and have made donations of which approx. The army played a significant role in helping 1600 were from Chisinau. 8000 packages were the population to rebuild and consolidate received weighing 73, 5 tons.