LOCAL INTEGRATION PROJECT FOR BELARUS, MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE 2011-2013 Implemented by the United Nations High Funded by the European Union Commissioner for Refugees 12 June 2012 Refugees to receive apartments under EU/UNHCR scheme CHISINAU, Moldova, June 12 (UNHCR) – Four apartments rehabilitated to shelter refugees fleeing human rights abuse and conflict in their home countries have been given today to local authorities in Razeni, Ialoveni District by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) following extensive rehabilitation works co-funded by the EU/UNHCR under the Local Integration Project (LIP) for refugees. Refugee families from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Palestine received ceremonial keys at today’s hand-over ceremony. Razeni Mayor Ion Cretu hosted Deputy Minister Ana Vasilachi (Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and the Family), Deputy Minister Iurie Cheptanaru (Ministry of Internal Affairs), Ambassador of the European Union Dirk Schübel and other dignitaries. Tuesday’s ceremony at the long-disused kindergarten follows a similar event in March when UNHCR formally handed over apartments at a former public bathhouse in Mereni, Anenii Noi District to shelter refugees from Armenia, Russia and Sudan. “Without the enthusiastic support of the mayors, council and residents of Mereni and Razeni villages, which offered the dilapidated buildings to UNHCR for renovation into apartments, this pilot refugee housing project would not have been possible,” said UNHCR Representative Peter Kessler. The refugees getting the new apartments were carefully selected based on their skills and willingness to contribute to their new host communities by a team including the Refugee Directorate of the Bureau for Migration and Asylum in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, UNHCR and its NGO implementing partners. Refugee families participating in the scheme will contribute to the upkeep of their new home and pay their utility bills, but will live rent-free for up to five years under an agreement worked out with the local authorities. After five years it is expected that they will buy their own apartments so that the UNHCR-renovated apartments can be given to new refugees who need housing. “UNHCR is grateful to the European Union and the village of Razeni for its support and we hope that the government may be able to offer more future assistance to help refugees integrate here in Moldova,” UNHCR’s Kessler declared. UNHCR Representation in Moldova: #68, Mateevici str., Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, tel. 271853/270865, fax: 271953 e-mail: [email protected] , LOCAL INTEGRATION PROJECT FOR BELARUS, MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE 2011-2013 Implemented by the United Nations High Funded by the European Union Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR works to assist the Government of the Republic of Moldova to ensure the legal and procedural framework necessary to provide appropriate aid to refugees and other persons in need of international protection in accordance with international standards and also establish the mechanisms to promote their integration, such as this small-scale housing initiative. Under the EU/UNHCR LIP project, UNHCR refurbished the final wing of the Temporary Accommodation Center for Asylum Seekers at the airport, with capacity increased to 220 persons. Vulnerable refugees residing in Chisinau, Briceni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Rabnita, and Tiraspol benefited from in-kind grants consisting of household equipment (stoves, refrigerators, radiators, boilers, etc.) to ensure a basic standard of living while 19 carefully selected refugee families (residing in Chisinau, Bender, Briceni and Cimislia) received small business start-up grants of up to €2,000 to help them become self-reliant. Refugees also received assistance to better integrate in their host communities including cultural orientation presentations, legal assistance to assert their social and economic rights, psychological support and employment counseling. Over 220 persons were provided social, medical, educational assistance. Romanian language courses organized with the support of ULIM and “Ion Creanga” University were implemented and specialized equipment was installed in two language laboratories. Capacity-building study visits on refugee integration were organised for government representatives (Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family) and civil society NGOs. The European Union contributed 80 percent of the Euro €598,782 Local Integration Project funding, with UNHCR providing the remaining 20 percent over the two year project designed to the Republic of Moldova implement its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention to improve the local integration prospects for refugees. UNHCR Representation in Moldova: #68, Mateevici str., Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, tel. 271853/270865, fax: 271953 e-mail: [email protected] , .