Sitting on the corner of a bed with a colorful blanket, Elena looks tiredly at a little black chihuahua, intrigued by our visit to this reception center for refugees in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. This Ukrainian woman in her twenties arrived in the night, with her two brothers and her mother, Tatiana. Pregnant, Elena can “give birth at any time”. The mother and daughter decided to leave Odessa, 200 km from the Moldavian capital, on Friday March 11, after the bombing of a maternity hospital in Mariupol. They left behind their husbands, responsible for “defend” Tatiana’s mother, “too old to leave”.
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“Tired but happy”, the two women, who share the same piercing blue gaze, drove eight hours before arriving at the Moldovan border, in the south of the country. Like them, nearly 400 people have passed through this reception center, in a sports complex of the Academy of Economic Studies transformed into a dormitory, canteen and donation center since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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The team in charge of the center, led by Marian Stan, white hair and laughing eyes, is well established. To the right of the building entrance, refugees arrive to register and “to be advised on their rights”. In the same room are piled up children’s diapers, bed frames, clothes and food. “Donations from the Moldavians” more … than “required” to meet the needs of refugees. Like Marian and Diana, many Moldovans have made it their mission to welcome those fleeing war. “I understood that it could happen here, that we too could turn into refugees”says Marian, who alternates between French, Romanian (the official language of Moldova) and Russian.
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According to figures from the Moldovan Foreign Minister as of March 13, 101,000 refugees were present in the country, out of the 328,000 who have entered the territory since the beginning of the conflict. In proportion to its population, 2.6 million inhabitants, Moldova is the country that hosts the largest number of exiles. A huge logistical and human challenge for the poorest nation in Europe, where the average salary is around 150 euros. However, the Moldovan state managed to establish a functional organization in a very short time, thanks to the solidarity of the Moldovans with “their brothers and sisters” Ukrainians.
40 minutes south of the capital, Igor Hîncu and his wife, Victoria, help refugees full time. The craftsman and owner of EducJoc, which produces wooden toys, gave us an appointment in his workshop, in the heart of the village of Florini, typically Moldavian with its small streets and pastel-colored houses. Igor’s little room, filled with toys and maps of European countries, smells of smoke. His tools have been running at full speed since the start of the war. The man manufactures and distributes his products, including a puzzle map in the colors of Ukraine, free of charge to refugee children.
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The idea of helping out came very quickly. The Saturday following the start of the war, Igor “around in circles”. It is his birthday “but he doesn’t have the heart to celebrate it”. The man then receives a call from Unicef asking him for toys. “There, I said to myself that we had a task, that we could help and bring something positive to often traumatized children”, he explains, sipping his tea. A crowdfunding campaign has since been launched “in Germany” with the hope of continuing the mission.
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In addition to the toys, Igor, Victoria and their two children have welcomed fifteen people since the start of the war. Most Ukrainians arrive disoriented, “frightened”must therefore “gain their trust”. “A woman, who came with her son, was very suspicious, but we did everything to reassure hersays Igor with a smile. The next day, she left for the airport to reach Istanbul and she left me her car and the keys.” The family is “always in touch” with those who left. Even if “Victoria is tired”the door will remain open as long as necessary. “We may be the poorest country in Europe, but we want to help and above all to share peace”breathes Igor watching the snow fall.
Back in Chisinau, wrapped in an unusual white coat for the month of March, it was impossible to miss the Ukrainian license plates. Ukrainian and European flags float on many official buildings, while calls for solidarity multiply on billboards. A logo comes up frequently: that of Moldova for Peace, a group of volunteers who oversee the reception of refugees for the government.
The team occupies a room with large ocher velvet curtains in the central government building, a massive Soviet-looking building. The room, a conference room in another life, is the command center of Moldova for Peace. The excitement is palpable. Fatigue can be read on the faces of the volunteers.
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“It is from here that we take care of the special needs of refugees”, explains the coordinator Mariana Turcanu, behind her rectangular glasses. A center needs food for children? A refugee is looking for a family member? A coach needs to be chartered near the border? This is where the problem will be solved. Alex, responsible for answering the phone that rings constantly, sighs. In one corner of the room, food and coffee are self-service. Some have spent entire nights here. Emotions are strong, not a day goes by “without tears”.
Moldova had never welcomed so many refugees before. “We learned by doing”willingly concedes Mariana Turcanuwhich must coordinate the aid provided by the Moldovans, but also the government and international organizations such as the UN or Unicef. “A tango not for two, but for six.” But if volunteers struggle, here and in centers across the country, “nothing would have been possible without Moldavian hospitality”. More than two thirds of the refugees present in Moldova are hosted by individuals. “A unique model”allowed by the fact that “most people here speak Russian or Ukrainian”. Victoria, who is in charge of organizing transport, tells us that a campaign to thank the people of Moldova is in preparation.
Marcel Spatari, young Minister of Labor and Social Security, hopes to see this surge of solidarity last. “It’s logical that it’s going well, we have very good relations with Ukraine and Romania”, he explains to us between two meetings, in perfect French. Will it last? First, there is the financial question. “We spend a lot of money, just the reception costs 5 million euros, or almost 1% of the annual state budget”, he points out. International aid, notably from the UN and the European Union (EU), is on the way.
“We receive 30 to 40,000 people a day, it’s manageable, what will happen if we reach 100,000?”
Marcel Spitari, Moldovan Minister of Labor and Social Securityat franceinfo
Above all, the Minister wants to ensure the support of his population over the long term. “We have little money and a lot of vulnerable people. In a few months, even a few weeks, people will wonder why they are not being taken care of.” The government’s response this week was to increase “pensions and the minimum wage”. The long term is also what Mariana Turcani is thinking about: “We will have to integrate these people into the labor market. We will also have to find books, teachers because we are short of them… One in eight children present in Moldova at the moment is Ukrainian.”
Moldova will not be able to manage this crisis alone. Judging the country overwhelmed by the influx of refugees, the Prime Minister appealed to Europe. “We need support from Europe, especially for foodalso insists Mariana Turcani. We share the same values, we defend them here.” If donations arrive from the west of the continent, promises have also been made in terms of relocating refugees. France and Germany are expected to host 2,500 each.
Most of the refugees arriving in Moldova will have to solve the same dilemma: whether or not to leave the country. Elena and Tatiana do not yet know what they are going to do. Tomorrow they will have to decide if they stay with this neighbor “close to Odessa” to get back there soon “if the war stops”, or if they are leaving for an EU country. For now, a night’s sleep away from the bombs, an ear to listen to their story and the smile of a visitor center volunteer will suffice.