Society

22 September, 2026 / 10:07

/ 25 February, 2026

Mobile phone SIM cards to be sold only with ID card in Moldova

Mobile phone SIM cards will be sold only based on an identity card. A draft law to this effect has been developed by the Interior Ministry (MAI), in the context of crimes involving prepaid SIM cards.

Interior Minister Daniella Misail-Nichitin emphasized that the mechanism would allow for faster identification of individuals involved in illegal activities.

“There are more situations in which a serious crime was committed and the police needed more time to identify the person. The change does not affect law-abiding citizens. It concerns only those who intend to commit crimes and must be identified more quickly by law enforcement authorities,” said Daniella Misail-Nichitin.

The official noted that the draft was currently being developed, after which it would be registered in parliament.

“It is also based on the experience of other states. We are working on it and we very much want this initiative to be promoted in parliament in the near future. The document has been consulted with more operators. Thus, aspects related to adapting the necessary devices will be taken into account and a balanced mechanism will be found, so that operators do not incur unjustified expenses,” said Daniella Misail-Nichitin.

According to the legislative initiative, when purchasing a SIM card, it will be necessary to present an identity card or passport and the data will be recorded by mobile phone operators. This measure will facilitate the faster identification of individuals involved in scams, fraud, threats or cybercrime.

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