Moldova's parliament speaker calls on Moldovan, Ukrainian border authorities to find solutions to prevent incidents on Dniester

The border authorities of Moldova and Ukraine must discuss and identify solutions to prevent incidents similar to those in which Ukrainian citizens swim across the Dniester to reach Moldova, while Ukrainian border guards cross the border in pursuit of them. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu has made statements to this effect. He described the situation as a violation of Moldova’s border, but said he did not see any deliberate intention on the part of the Ukrainian border guards to provoke the Moldovan authorities.

“Clearly, discussions must take place between our authorities, our Border Police and the Ukrainian Border Police, in order to find ways to prevent and stop such actions, if these situations happen again,” Igor Grosu said.

The speaker noted that Ukraine was at war and that some citizens are trying to avoid mobilization and enter Moldova illegally by crossing the Dniester.

“There is a war in the neighboring country. We proceed from this. It so happens that the Dniester’s water level has dropped somewhat. Some people who want to evade military service have used or are trying to use this situation to flee the army,” Igor Grosu said.

He emphasized that people who wish to enter the country must use official border crossing points.

“Certainly, the fact that the border guards reached our territory while pursuing them constitutes a violation of Moldova’s border. At the same time, however, I do not see any deliberate intention on the part of the Ukrainian border guards to come and provoke us. It is a regrettable incident,” Grosu said.

As for the Ukrainian citizens who applied for asylum in Moldova after reaching the country’s territory, the parliament speaker said that each application must be examined individually, depending on the person’s circumstances and the merits of the request.

Last week, the Border Police of Moldova recorded two cases in which Ukrainian citizens swam across the Dniester River to reach the country’s territory, while the Ukrainian border guards pursuing them illegally crossed the state border of Moldova.