Moldova joins EU Civil Protection Mechanism

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - The EU and Moldova signed an agreement Friday that made Chisinau a party to the bloc's Civil Protection Mechanism.

The agreement was signed by EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic and Moldovan Interior Minister Adrian Efros in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau.

Once the agreement is ratified by Moldova, it will provisionally apply until the full entry into force on Jan. 1.

"As a full member of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Moldova will not only be able to receive immediate support, but can also send assistance to countries affected by man-made or natural disasters through the Mechanism, leading to a stronger and better coordinated crisis response in Europe and in the rest of the world," the European Commission said in a statement.

The deal strengthens EU solidarity and "brings Moldova closer to our European family, with tangible benefits for its people," EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.

The mechanism aims to strengthen cooperation between EU countries and 10 participating states -- Iceland, Norway, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Ukraine and most recently Moldova -- on civil protection to improve prevention, preparedness and response to disasters.