We’re really happy to announce that this October we’ll be performing in Istanbul (Turkey) It’s been too long since we’ve played in Istanbul Even more special is our debut in Chisinau and Almaty – these moments are going to mean the world to us Tickets for these shows go on sale Wednesday, April 30 @ 14:00 CET and will be available at eventation.pro/sabaton. As a subscriber to the Sabaton newsletter, you’ll be the first to know when new Sabaton music and tour tickets are available! We will also contact you from time to time about new merchandise, exclusive offers, competitions and news about the band. Our new song “Templars” is now available on all music streaming services & YouTube. Listen and watch the epic music video! Support non-profit journalism and perspectives from around the world. See all those languages? The Lingua project at Global Voices works to bring down barriers to understanding through translation. This article was originally published in Russian on April 29, 2025, on NewsMaker.Md and is republishing it with added context under a media partnership agreement The mayor of Chișinău, Ion Ceban, posted a photo on social media on April 28 with Donald Trump Jr. the eldest son of US President Donald Trump Ceban said he met Trump’s son at an event in Bucharest and captioned the photo: “Make Moldova Great Again.” Ceban's photo with Trump sparked discussions on social media. Some pointed out the complicated relationship between the Moldovan authorities and Washington after Donald Trump became the President of the United States Others interpreted the photo as evidence of US support for the Moldovan opposition Still others took the opportunity to poke fun at the Mayor of Chișinău. One user said: “Make Ceban Smart Again!” ERROR: SECURITY TIMEOUT - Please copy your message to a backup location Global Voices stands out as one of the earliest and strongest examples of how media committed to building community and defending human rights can positively influence how people experience events happening beyond their own communities and national borders Please consider making a donation to help us continue this work Donate now Authors, please log in » Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details. Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms) Global Voices is supported by the efforts of our volunteer contributors, foundations, donors and mission-related services. For more information please read our Fundraising Ethics Policy Special thanks to our many sponsors and funders As extreme weather events become more frequent and climate conditions continue to evolve From heatwaves straining power grids to storms damaging infrastructure and climate variability disrupting natural resources these challenges add uncertainty to energy diversification and transition efforts To help Moldova and Ukraine build resilience in the face of these growing threats the OSCE held a workshop on 14 and 15 April in Chisinau Moldova: “Building Energy System Resilience Against Extreme Weather and Evolving Conditions in Moldova and Ukraine: Modelling and its Applications for Energy Planning” The event brought together more than 40 experts and decision-makers from Moldova and Ukraine including Moldova’s State Secretaries for Energy and Environment and Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Energy Participants explored how to assess climate vulnerabilities in critical energy infrastructure and integrate climate risks into energy planning A key focus of the workshop was improving access to downscaled climate data: detailed localized projections essential for protecting energy infrastructure and informing policy and investment decisions Through a partnership with Argonne National Laboratory the OSCE provided participants with critical high-resolution datasets and modelling tools to support science-based decision-making Attendees were also trained on how to use this granular data to evaluate risks and opportunities across the energy sector This support strengthens the capacity of both countries to plan for future climate scenarios and protect vital energy systems This workshop is the first in a series of regional trainings under the OSCE’s project “Mitigating Climate Change Threats to the Energy Sector in the OSCE Region” highly relevant issue briefs and reports that break new ground with a focus on advancing debates by integrating foundational research and analysis with concrete policy solutions the Atlantic Council’s experts have you covered—delivering their sharpest rapid insight and forward-looking analysis direct to your inbox New Atlanticist is where top experts and policymakers at the Atlantic Council and beyond offer exclusive insight on the most pressing global challenges—and the United States’ role in addressing them alongside its allies and partners A weekly column by Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe Inflection Points focuses on the global challenges facing the United States and how to best address them UkraineAlert is a comprehensive online publication that provides regular news and analysis on developments in Ukraine’s politics UkraineAlert sources analysis and commentary from a wide-array of thought-leaders and activists from Ukraine and the global community MENASource offers the latest news from across the Middle East and independent analysis from fellows and staff Econographics provides an in-depth look at trends in the global economy utilizing state-of-the-art data visualization tools CHIȘINĂU—There is a buzz in Moldova’s capital as it readies itself for what could be the most consequential elections in its post-Cold War history In the first round of voting on October 20 Moldovans will both elect their president and determine whether the country will enshrine European Union (EU) membership as a strategic goal in its constitution If none of the eleven presidential candidates wins more than half of the vote the election will go to a second round on November 3 Sandu has pushed forward with her country’s European integration process, even amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and persistent and increasing Kremlin interference in Moldova. In 2022, Moldova was granted EU candidate status and it has since entered EU accession negotiations Moldova risks a blow to its pursuit of a European future and potentially severe political The referendum’s defeat could threaten the legitimacy of the pro-European forces in Chișinău and leave room for pro-Russian forces to further promote their views As a part of its influence campaign, the Kremlin is spreading malicious narratives to sow fear that a vote toward the EU will put Moldova on the same path as Ukraine Russian-backed proxies and media outlets work to spread panic that turning toward the EU will ruin the country and invite Russian troops over its borders as the proxies and media outlets say Ukraine did with the Maidan Revolution in 2014 especially among the large pensioner community Earlier this year, the US State Department designated Yevgeniya Gutsul, the Shor-backed, US-sanctioned governor of Gagauzia “continues to work to advance the Kremlin’s interests in Moldova while seeking to corrupt Moldova’s political system and undermine Moldova’s democracy Rather than serve the people of Gagauzia and the rest of Moldova Gutsul has consistently prioritized Shor’s personal interests and those of the Kremlin in attempting to undermine and destabilize Moldova.” As EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in a speech delivered to the European Parliament this week “Moscow’s objective remains unchanged: to derail Moldova’s efforts towards European Union integration and push the country back into its sphere of influence.” Russia is trying to suffocate Moldova’s democracy and crush its aspirations through coercion not only to interfere with Moldova’s future but also to get a Russia-friendly government in place to further surround Ukraine as Moldova’s border with Ukraine stretches more than six hundred miles I took away this impression from the people I spoke with: Russia cares about Moldova at the moment because it is next to Ukraine but they also emphasize that they are not the only country in Europe that Russia wants to destabilize Moldova has undoubtedly faced a difficult past two and a half years following the Russian full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine, but officials in Chișinău say this election period is their most challenging moment yet. Pointing to the “mafia-style” network led by Russian forces and massive levels of disinformation Chișinău is calling for more attention and support to defend against this threat to its democracy Shelby Magid is the deputy director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. Note: The author’s travel to Moldova was sponsored by the German Marshall Fund. Image: Participants hold flags during a rally and concert celebrating the European Union's decision to open membership talks with Moldova, in Chisinau, Moldova, December 17, 2023. REUTERS/Vladislav Culiomza Sign up to receive expert analysis from our community on the most important global issues, rapid insights on events as they unfold, and highlights of the Council's best work. © 2025 Atlantic CouncilAll rights reserved. If refreshing the page doesn't resolve the issue you could try clearing the sites browser cache. SkyUp has officially landed at Barcelona airport on April 23, 2025, marking the first direct scheduled flight from Chisinau, Moldova, to the Catalan capital. This new route offers an efficient connection between Catalonia and Eastern Europe, providing a great opportunity for tourists and business travelers to explore new destinations in Moldova and the eastern part of the continent. Additionally, this route is convenient for travel to and from Ukraine, as Chisinau International Airport is located close to the Ukrainian border, ensuring fast and seamless travel logistics. SkyUp is a European airline that has been operating for over six years, becoming one of the fastest-growing carriers in Europe in that time. With a wide network of destinations, SkyUp provides passengers with comfortable and cost-effective travel options. Chisinau (RMO) – Barcelona (BCN) – Chisinau (RMO) flights are scheduled to operate every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. SkyUp offers flexible fare options to make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible. For example, the Fly&Smile fare, for just €15 extra, includes 23 kg of checked baggage, the option to choose seats next to your companions, and a free change of departure date. During the flight, passengers can enjoy the Celebrate Your Flight onboard service with restaurant-quality meals. The SkyBox menu features a variety of choices, including beef, fish, vegetarian, breakfast options, and a special kids’ menu. For a quick and tasty snack, try the balanced SkyRolls. Meals can be pre-ordered while booking your ticket. As a pet-friendly airline, SkyUp also provides safe and convenient travel conditions for pets, ensuring a calm and comfortable experience for both passengers and their four-legged companions. Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker ADAM REICHARDT: I would like to start with a question about the situation in Moldova and get your perspective as mayor of the biggest city How has the war in Ukraine changed Moldova And how has it changed the situation in your city specifically since February 2022 ION CEBAN: There were several major challenges related to the economic and social situation it was a difficult to organize and manage the refugee crisis For us it was really very challenging because Chișinău was the main hub for receiving the refugees in Moldova The first refugees that crossed the border were housed in the municipal hub which at that time could accommodate from 1,000 to 3,000 We set up 45 centres and we had days when it was necessary to accommodate and provide hot meals and all kind of care: medical care Refugees generally stayed three days to five days in Chișinău before moving on the situation became a little bit easier to manage but there were also private businesses which were involved in helping to manage this process We dispatched at that time more than 800 public servants to manage the crisis, which dealt only with crisis management. More info can be found on our dedicated site: help.chisinau.md Of course now it’s a big challenge because there are officially 33,000 Ukrainians in the city; and out of them 8,000 are kids but we estimate that the number of people could be much higher Now the biggest challenge is to integrate these people into the society This includes enrolling the kids in schools and kindergartens creating and offering jobs and other ways to connect them with Moldovan society the second big challenge is related to the energy crisis There was a period of time when the price of gas was seven times higher than it was in December 2021 The rising prices of electricity and gas have definitely influenced the financial situation in the city The prices for raw materials which were being imported from Ukraine also went up substantially This had an impact on the budget and certain projects weren’t implemented but it is still quite difficult for the city Did you receive any assistance from western partners assistance was provided mostly on the national level But as we were told in European chancelleries and from Washington Assistance was received especially for managing the energy crisis and covering a part of the cost of the living increases I think it was substantial during this period had a lot of assistance from our sister cities This October is quite an important month for Moldova There will not only be a presidential election but also a simultaneous referendum on the country’s future I am curious about your opinion on this idea to combine the referendum on Moldova’s EU path with the election The only thing that I can say is that it was a little bit risky to make such a move as a part of the National Alternative Movement (a new centrist and pro-EU political party led by Ion Ceban – editor’s note) will campaign for and ask people to vote for EU integration so the registration process for the referendum in September and the campaign from September 20th Even if it is not going to be an easy process I do hope the result will be “pro” [EU integration] but everybody will have to work for this result And what’s important is that nobody tries to monopolize this but to work together to obtain the necessary result as a final issue for the referendum our party will not participate and we will not have our candidate because you previously were considered to be a candidate Can you explain a little bit why this is the case it is about working and engaging with the citizens of Chișinău We had municipal elections in the autumn last year and I promised then that I will be together with the citizens and helping them solve their problems And I have said that even before the elections that I am not interested in participating in the presidential election and I have my commitment to the people of Chișinău The second reason is that we truly think that the most important elections are in the next year So we are preparing for that election to have a good result So you plan to focus primarily on the parliamentary elections Moldova is a parliamentary country and it is important that the main decisions are being made in the parliament; of course that is not to diminish the role of the president maybe you could speak about some of the challenges that Moldova faces in terms of EU integration and what the EU can do to help with some of these challenges I think the EU is doing quite a lot even today So at least this dynamic will be maintained from quality of life issues to infrastructure projects social projects and many other areas which are important for ordinary people the key is to improve overall governance in the country This means focusing on talented and professional people who are able to make things better and faster Another challenge that Moldova faces is a high level of emigration from the country Do you see that if things can improve there is a possibility that Moldovans will start coming back If you improve the quality of life at home people will see that development and be encouraged to come back and become involved in different spheres As you improve the quality of living and making business easier the chances for returning back will certainly increase Right now the dynamic is still very low and we need to work on that the energy crisis and the war also play a role here I would like to ask you about the importance of international cooperation between cities you’re in Warsaw meeting with the city administration and you’ll be going to Lublin to discuss investments How do these relations help with your city’s development With Lublin we are a partner on one big European project which has more than three million euros of financing It is quite ambitious and we consider that quite challenging – since it is just one of many such projects we are participating in Poland But it is really important for us and it can help drive our internal agenda better and faster we have access to EU funds which help us undertake new policies and adopt different approaches to similar challenges faced by these cities in the past – so there is no need to reinvent the wheel There are a lot of challenges that have already been solved and I would say from our experience that our partners are really happy to share them with us Ion Ceban is a Moldovan politician and the current mayor of Chișinău He is the leader of the relatively new party – National Alternative Movement Adam Reichardt is the editor in chief of New Eastern Europe and co-host of the Talk Eastern Europe podcast The consequences of Russia’s invasion are visible not only in Ukraine The Kremlin has set off or exploited a series of crises that face most European countries New thinking is needed in policies towards Russia in whatever form it will take after the war Ukraine’s suffering goes well beyond the front line With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine we now see our western values under siege whether we consciously recognise it or not The invasion by Russian forces of Ukraine from the north south and east – with the initial aim to take the capital Kyiv – has changed our region The situation with Russian threats towards Ukraine once again illustrates the high level of instability in our region Only a year ago we witnessed the second Nagorno-Karabakh war between Armenia and Azerbaijan It took at least 5,000 lives and significantly shifted the geopolitics in the South Caucuses This special issue aims to honour the plight of Belarusians whose democratic choice made in August 2020 was shamelessly snubbed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka a lot of work still remains for this country And this is why Ukraine’s story is incomplete 30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union Our societies are more polarised than ever before which makes them more susceptible to disinformation The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed limitations and weaknesses in nearly all countries around the world volatility and the relationship between Russia and the West The Black Sea region is quickly becoming a geopolitical battleground which is gaining the interest of major powers regional players and smaller countries – and the stakes are only getting higher This issue is dedicated to the 10 year anniversary of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership as well as the 30 years since the 1989 revolutions in Central Europe The consequences of the emerging multipolar world This issue takes a special look at the role and responsibility of the public intellectual in Central and Eastern Europe today In the eastern parts of the European continent 1918 is remembered not only as the end of the First World War but also saw the emergence of newly-independent states and the rise of geopolitical struggles which are felt until this day that Belarus remains isolated from the West and very static in its transformation The Summer 2018 issue of New Eastern Europe tackles the complexity of para-states in the post-Soviet space according to a false narrative based on a ruling of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova by means which the Găgăuz Parliament can no longer appoint the prosecutor of the region NEWS: The situation in the autonomous territorial unit of Găgăuzia in southern Moldova has suddenly got worse after the ruling of the Constitutional Court (CC) of the Republic of Moldova which practically undermined the foundations of its special status.„ The deputy speaker of the People's Assembly of Găgăuzia comparing what happened with the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh: “Nagorno-Karabakh is gone now the Găgăuz autonomous region will be gone too” The statement was made in response to a ruling of the Constitutional Court which declared unconstitutional Article 21 of the law which granted Găgăuia the special autonomous status and regulated the appointment of its prosecutor which previously enjoyed a significant degree of self-government has been reduced to the status of an ordinary district The Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly said that Chișinău’s next target is the “re-education of the Găgăuz” reinforced by the actions of Moldovan law enforcement agencies which are conducting mass raids of Găgăuz homes seizing phones and imposing fines for contacts with Russia The Constitutional Court’s ruling was made early Monday morning without the participation of representatives of the Găgăuz autonomy Although the law on the special legal status of Găgăuzia requires inviting representatives of the region to such meetings they were not even informed about the imminent examination of the case The Găgăuz autonomous region has been reduced to the status of an ordinary district The Găgăuz in the Republic of Moldova are being persecuted by the authorities PURPOSE: To antagonize the population of Găgăuzia to instill fear and undermine trust in central authorities despite the apparently limited role of the People’s Assembly of Găgăuzia in appointing prosecutors it “remains instrumental essential and is exercised autonomously by a local political authority which undermines the institutional independence of the Prosecutor’s Office” The Court also emphasized that the appointment of prosecutors is exclusively the remit of the Prosecutor General following a proposal of the Superior Council of Prosecutors it annulled the provisions of the law on the legal status of Gagauzia related to the competences of the People’s Assembly in appointing prosecutors in the region which are intended to ensure the independence of prosecutors as stipulated by the Constitution and the special law and under no circumstances are its prerogatives limited to those of a mere district over 140,000 citizens are targeted by criminal investigations It is almost certain that among them are residents of the autonomous region of Găgăuzia BACKGROUND: The Autonomous Territorial Unit of Găgăuzia (ATUG) is a specific region in the south of the Republic of Moldova inhabited mainly by Russian-speaking and Russophile Găgăuz who oppose the European integration of the Republic of Moldova in contradiction with the pro-European majority of the population and opt for its accession to the Eurasian Union as shown by the results of a 2014 referendum local forces tried to proclaim its independence The 1994 Constitution stipulates that Găgăuzia is an “autonomous territorial unit with a special status”, has its own governor, government (Executive Committee) and legislature (People’s Assembly). A special law, voted by Parliament on the special legal status of Găgăuzia (Găgăuz-Yeri) also provides for its right to external self-determination “in the event of a change in the status of the Republic of Moldova as an independent state” (a reference to the unification of the Republic of Moldova with Romania The same law also lays out the role of the People's Assembly to propose the candidate for the position of prosecutor of Găgăuzia and to give its consent for the appointment of prosecutors in his subordination These provisions were challenged at the Constitutional Court Relations between Chișinău andComrat (the administrative center of Găgăuzia) have had ups and downs over the years Guțul is a close associated of wanted oligarch Ilan Shor who promotes the Kremlin's interests in Moldovan politics Chișinău authorities invoked election fraud and president Maia Sandu did not sign the decree appointing Guțul to the position of member of the Government which the governor of Găgăuzia traditional holds ex officio Evghenia Guțul was detained at Chișinău International Airport on March 25 while trying to fly to Istanbul Her name appears is connected to several onging investigations into acts of political corruption She was subsequently placed on pre-trial arrest for 20 days GRAIN OF TRUTH: The Constitutional Court annulled the prerogatives of the People's Assembly of Găgăuzia to appoint the prosecutor of the autonomous region Disinformation uses a variety of manipulation tactics Disinformation stories can easily be created by combining provocative topics Interim president Ilie Bolojan wants to reduce the number of days off granted to public sector employees in Romania according to a well-known Romanian conspiracy theorist which was attacked with atomic bombs in 1945 Maia Sandu banned the celebration of the so-called “Victory Day” in the Republic of Moldova and the EU imposed a ban on the “Moldovan language” according to false narratives disseminated by Russian propaganda Razboi si propaganda: O cronologie a conflictului ruso-ucrainean" /> Razboiul lui Putin cu lumea libera: Propaganda, dezinformare, fake news" /> Developed by Treeworks the OSCE facilitated a training course to enhance the knowledge and skills of criminal justice practitioners from Moldova on investigative techniques in corruption cases The training course was jointly delivered by practitioners from Guardia di Finanza – Italy’s economic and financial police the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of Moldova and the Romanian National Anti-Corruption Directorate allowing participants to learn about different models legal bases and mechanisms in investigating corruption Special focus was put on Guardia di Finanza’s “follow-the-money” approach which traces the movement of funds to determine the source and destination of potentially illicit funds The second part of the training course focused on international co-operation in investigation of corruption including formal and informal channels for exchange of information putting in practice their newly acquired knowledge “We need training courses such as this to help us develop our skills and exchange experiences with colleagues from other countries,” said an investigative officer from the National Anti-Corruption Centre in Moldova A representative from Guardia di Finanza shared insights about the importance of following trends in other countries and exposure to the work of counterparts in the region and internationally through similar training activities “Effective investigation and prosecution of corruption cases often requires cross-border collaboration as corrupt individuals and networks frequently operate across jurisdictions,” he said This training course was implemented in partnership with the National Anti-Corruption Centre within the framework of the OSCE extra-budgetary project “Supporting anti-corruption efforts of the Government of Moldova” Ukraine and Moldova discussed the restoration of railway passenger services between Odessa and Chișinău, as well as the transit of Moldovan freight wagons through Ukrainian territory. This information was provided by the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine held an online meeting with Vladimir Bolea Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development of Moldova The event also included Oleksandr Pertsovsky Chairman of the Board of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia State Secretary of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Moldova Acting General Director of Moldova Railways The parties discussed the restoration of passenger rail services between Odessa and Chișinău and the transit of Moldovan freight wagons through Ukraine The Ukrainian side expressed interest in developing international railway transport with Moldova emphasizing the need to take security and economic factors into account "We are confident that the restoration of the Odessa-Chișinău train will improve transport accessibility and economic ties between our countries we must consider all security risks," noted Andriy Kashuba The Ukrainian side also stressed the need for a detailed analysis of the economic feasibility of restoring the service which will allow for a well-grounded decision regarding the launch of the route The second topic was the restoration of Moldovan freight wagon transit through Ukraine The Ukrainian side confirmed that there were no restrictions on their movement Temporary difficulties in exchanging technical information arose due to a cyberattack on the information systems of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia on March 23 "Work is currently underway to restore stable system operations The Ukrainian side is ready to ensure full data exchange regarding Moldovan wagons immediately after the completion of technical recovery measures," the ministry assured Chisinau International Airport has extended its deadline for a major tender covering 12 retail and food & beverage spaces Applications can now be submitted up until 19 October The opportunities are divided into two lots – retail and F&B – with the contract duration set at five years The retail lot involves five units covering a total surface of 1,461.5sq m The individual opportunities range in size from 18.7sq m to 925.16sq m Rent covering all spaces has been set at €83,374.80 per month Applicants must have generated a turnover of at least €30 million in travel retail commerce in at least one of the last three years They must also have at least seven years’ travel retail experience in at least ten European Union airports with minimum traffic of 2.5 million passengers during the last three years The food & beverage lot encompasses seven units across 4,781.3sq m combined The individual opportunities range in size from 70.6sq m to 2,503.41sq m Rent covering all spaces has been set at €74,590.40 per month Applicants must have generated a turnover of at least €5 million through airport food & beverage activities in at least one of the last three years They must also have at least seven years’ experience of operating restaurants fast-food outlets or cafés in at least seven European Union airports with minimum traffic of 2.5 million passengers during the last three years The rents set for both lots are based on annual traffic of 2.8 million passengers With every 100,000 increase of passenger traffic In the case of any passenger decrease the rent payment will remain unchanged The airport company said applications will be examined on 21 October The bids will take place the following day at 09:00 (local time) for Lot 1 (retail) and at 11:00 for Lot 2 (F&B) Access detailed information on the two lots via these links – retail here and food & beverage here Participants can also obtain more information and clarifications by writing to cancelar@airport.md The Moodie Davitt Report is the industry’s most popular channel for launching commercial proposals and for publishing the results. If you wish to promote an Expression of Interest, Request for Proposals or full tender process for any sector of airport or other travel-related infrastructure revenues, simply email Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com We have a variety of options that will ensure you reach the widest most high-quality concessionaire/retailer/operator base in the industry – globally and immediately The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international business media to cover all airport or other travel-related consumer services Our reporting includes duty free and other retail Please send relevant material, including images, to Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com for instant Subscribe to our newsletter for critical marketing information delivered to your inbox Traffic growth at Europe’s airports slowed to +4.3% year-on-year in the first quarter up +3.2% compared to the same period in pre-pandemic 2019 “We are reinforcing the routine that you cannot pass through an airport without buying a Toblerone There is no other confectionery brand that is more strongly associated with travel than Toblerone,” says Mondelez World Travel Retail Director Category The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to present the results of the inaugural TREX Awards A trailblazing celebration of the finest travel retail-exclusive products and other initiatives the TREX Awards recognise the critical need for differentiation within travel retail shining a spotlight on innovations that deliver unique value to travellers Copyright © The Moodie Davitt Report | Website by Yellowball We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website Please click on one of the buttons below to accept We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " The government in Chișinău launched an attack on the Metropolitanate of Moldova the first target being the pro-Russian bishop Marchel referring to the fact Marchel was not allowed to fly to Tel Aviv NEWS: “Moldovan authorities have twice banned Marchel from flying to Israel to bring home the Holy Fire [Holy Light] The incident can only be interpreted as a deliberate and demonstrative act of humiliation no official accusation — just a silent refusal behind which one can suspect a political and ideological will Archbishop Marchel has long been known for his firm positions regarding civic he has been expressing his disagreement with the pro-Western course of Moldovan authorities constantly supporting an alliance of Moldova with Russia He opposes LGBT propaganda and supports the banning of this organization he has long been the target of attacks from politicians and media funded by USAID and the Soros Foundation whose re-election was not recognized by the parliamentary opposition cannot forgive her statements during the 2016 election campaign when Bishop Marchel criticized the fact that Sandu doesn’t have a family of her own and predicted that she would promote an anti-national and anti-church policy The current context points to an increasingly acute conflict between state structures and the Orthodox clergy which remains the last independent bastion and enjoys massive support from the population of Moldova acts indirectly through administrative abuses bureaucratic rhetoric and pressure mechanisms behind the scenes But the problem essentially remains the same: there is a systematic and deliberate activity to remove the Church from the public and symbolic space of the country” [...] It is obvious that the attack on Archbishop Marchel is not just a blow to a clergyman but also a political signal to all those who remain faithful to the Russian Orthodox Church and oppose the Euro-globalist drive NARRATIVE: The Metropolitanate of Moldova and its priests are persecuted by the authorities in Chișinău PURPOSE: To spread panic in society regarding the possible risk of destroying the Metropolitanate of Moldova BACKGROUND: The Orthodox Church in the Republic of Moldova is split into the Metropolitanate of Moldova subordinated to the Russian Orthodox Church and which has the most places of worship and the largest share in society subordinated to the Romanian Orthodox Church The Metropolitanate of Moldova was created after the annexation of Bessarabia by the Tsarist Empire the Metropolitanate of Bessarabia describes itself as the successor to the entity with the same name created after the unification of Bessarabia with Romania but was officially recognized by the authorities in Chișinău only in 2002 after it challenged the Republic of Moldova at the ECHR the Constitutional Court asked Parliament to prohibit the Church from getting involved in election campaigns GRAIN OF TRUTH: Bishop Marchel missed his flight to Tel Aviv twice Moldova is one of the fastest depopulating countries in the world the population of its right-bank region (the territory controlled by Chișinău excluding the separatist region of Transnistria) has shrunk by approximately 35% This is primarily due to mass labour migration driven by economic conditions involving over one million citizens of a country with a current population of 2.4 million Other significant factors contributing to Moldova’s declining population include a dramatic drop in fertility rates and high mortality associated with low life expectancy Moldovan society is ageing rapidly; in 1991 The catastrophic population decline and the resulting difficulty in finding workers pose a serious challenge for the state and its economy with an ageing society placing increasing strain on the budget the number of retirees is likely to match the number of employed individuals potentially causing the collapse of the already inefficient pension system there is no indication that Moldova’s demographic situation could improve in the foreseeable future The evolution of the demographic situation The population of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (MSSR) grew steadily from the late 1940s While the republic’s population in 1959 was 2.86 million the 1970 census recorded 3.57 million residents (a 25% increase) The rapid population growth in the MSSR was due to both high birth rates (with 3.3 children per woman in 1960 and an average of 2.5 during the 1970s) and significant migration from other regions of the Soviet Union was largely attributed to the intense industrialisation process within the republic Source: estimates, data from the Russian Higher School of Economics and the censuses conducted in the USSR and the independent Republic of Moldova Causes of the demographic crisis: low fertility… The dramatic population decline in Moldova is driven by natural factors and mass labour migration primarily influenced by economic conditions Although it has slightly increased in recent years – reaching around 1.6 in 2023 (compared to the EU average of 1.46 in 2022) – it remains significantly below the replacement level of 2.1–2.2 births outnumbered deaths almost two-to-one (72,000 to 45,000) annual deaths have consistently exceeded births (see chart 2) the number of newborns had declined by 70% compared to 1989 Number of births and deaths from 1989 to 2023 Source: National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova Life expectancy in Moldova remains relatively low compared to the EU average of 81.5 years and 79.27 years in Poland it has risen by less than three years (see chart 3) Dynamics of life expectancy in Moldova and in Poland from 1989 to 2023 the economy continued to shrink until the early 2000s Additional setbacks came from the Russian financial crisis of 1998 which caused Moldova’s GDP to plummet by 15% reducing it in 1999 to just 33% of its 1990 level which has disrupted travel between Moldova and Russia due to the absence of transit routes through Ukraine and direct flights Many of those who previously worked in Russia now opt for short-term migration to countries such as Israel these individuals do not migrate to Romania (according to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs only about 20,000 Moldovans reside there permanently) but instead use their EU citizenship to work or study throughout the European Union The socio-economic consequences of migration Mass migration has a short-term positive impact on the standard of living for residents of Moldova remittances from labour migrants reached $2 billion equivalent to approximately 12% of the country’s GDP this will severely affect Moldovan society Mass migration contributes to an increase in the number of so-called ‘migration orphans’ (children left in the care of extended family while their parents work abroad) Official data indicates that approximately 6% of all children under 17 are cared for by extended relatives or legal guardians due to parental migration Dynamics of remittances from labour migrants in 1999–2023 and their share in GDP Source: National Bank of Moldova and the International Monetary Fund This in turn affects the efficiency of government institutions and hinders the implementation of necessary reforms Projections indicate that this situation will deteriorate in the coming years adversely affecting Moldova’s economic growth indicators significantly restricting foreign investment (which depends heavily on an affordable and skilled workforce) and potentially paralysing the state apparatus which will struggle to function effectively without new personnel The population decline in Transnistria is primarily attributed to its challenging political and economic circumstances, which promote temporary or permanent emigration, mainly to Russia. According to partial data from Tiraspol, the average gross monthly salary in Transnistria during the first quarter of 2023 was approximately $360,[18] about 50% lower than in right-bank Moldova This outmigration is exacerbated by high mortality rates and low fertility; in 2020 and 2021 deaths outnumbered births by a factor of two to three There is little evidence to suggest that the situation in Transnistria will improve in the near future Without political stabilisation – specifically reintegration with Moldova – reversing these negative demographic trends seems impossible The government’s efforts to address demographic challenges Over the past three decades, successive Moldovan governments have been unable to cope with the deteriorating demographic crisis. Despite recent efforts to boost fertility – such as providing all parents, regardless of financial status, a one-time payment of approximately $1,115 upon the birth of a child and a monthly allowance of around $55 per child until the age of two,[19] – these measures have proven ineffective Efforts to encourage emigrants to return are further hampered by a weak sense of national identity and a lack of attachment to the Moldovan state While Moldovan citizens share communal ties to their local origins (referred to as their ‘small homeland’) most do not feel compelled to make sacrifices for the country’s development they prioritise securing their family’s wellbeing which often leads to labour migration or relocating abroad with their relatives forecasts by the Centre for Demographic Research of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova missed the mark in 2016 Moldova’s current population of approximately 2.4 million was expected to be reached in 2028; however this milestone was reached four years earlier Economic conditions will continue to drive migration and discourage citizens from having children its pace lags behind other countries in the region (except Ukraine) it remains nearly three times lower than that of Romania and five times lower than that of the Czech Republic Wages are also significantly below those in EU member states in the region the average gross salary in Moldova was approximately €730 compared to €1,680 in Romania and approximately €2,000 in Poland Even in the highly unlikely scenario of halting emigration Moldova will continue to experience depopulation due to its low generational replacement rate The disparity between births and deaths alone reduces the population by 5,000–10,000 people annually Increasing the birth rate seems virtually impossible as declining fertility is driven by the emigration of many young people of reproductive age and by economic factors These challenges are further compounded by social and cultural changes in modern societies which result in delays in motherhood or decisions to forgo having children altogether [1] The National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova presents varying data on the population of Chișinău depending on the methodology used [2] In 1990 Gagauzia – a region in southern Moldova inhabited by the Gagauz minority – also declared independence from Moldova (then part of the USSR as a Soviet republic) its self-proclaimed government reached an agreement with Chișinău recognising its authority in exchange for the establishment of the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia within the Moldovan state [3] For more details on the evolution of the Moldovan economy during the first 25 years of independence, see: K. Całus, The unfinished state. 25 years of independent Moldova [4] For comparison GDP per capita in 2023 stood at $8,368 in Albania [5] N. Paholinițchii, ‘Câți cetățeni ai Moldovei sunt în străinătate? Diaspora moldovenească în UE, Rusia și în lumea întreagă’ [6] ‘Moldovenii au părăsit în masă Federația Rusă. În ultimii doi ani numărul lor a scăzut de 3,5 ori’ [7] K. Chawryło, ‘Russia tightens up residence regulations for CIS citizens’ [8] ‘Maia Sandu: Un milion de cetățeni din R. Moldova au pașaport românesc. Acest lucru trebuie să scurteze calea noastră spre UE’ [9] Many parents fail to report leaving their children in the care of family or friends, leading to distorted statistics. For more details see: E. Apostu, ‘Zeci de mii de copii din R. Moldova au părinții plecați în străinătate’ [10] M.E. Hîncu, ‘Numărul căsătoriilor și al divorțurilor, în scădere în Republica Moldova: Câte persoane și-au oficializat relația în 2022’ [11] Prognoza Pieței Muncii Pentru Anul 2023 din Perspectiva Angajatorilor National Agency for Employment of the Republic of Moldova [12] Data from the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova [13] I. Papuc, ‘Republica Moldova riscă să ajungă un deșert medical’ [14] ‘Incidence of tuberculosis (per 100,000 people) – Moldova, World, Albania, Poland, Russian Federation, Ukraine, Serbia, Romania’ [15] Data from Transnistria’s ‘Ministry of Health.’ [16] See M. Necșuțu, ‘The war in Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova: all eyes on Transnistria’ [17] ‘В Приднестровье пенсии получают почти 95,5 тысяч человек’ [18] И. Шлаева, ‘Средние зарплаты в Приднестровье в первом квартале 2023 года’ [19] ‘Ce reprezintă programul „Familia”?’ Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Moldova [20] ‘Tot mai mulți tineri pleacă din Republica Moldova’ [21] A. Popescu, ‘Republica Moldova rămâne fără tineri: Unul din patru și-a anunțat intenția de emigra’ [22] ‘Scutiri de taxe pentru bunurile aduse de moldovenii din diaspora care revin definitiv acasă’ [23] ‘Profilul migrațional extins al Republicii Moldova 2017–2021’ [24] ‘Majoritatea moldovenilor ar vota la un referendum pentru unirea țării cu România sau Federația Rusă’ [25] ‘Elderly persons will represent one third of Moldova’s population towards 2050’ Biuletyn Informacji Publicznej This marks the fifth known prisoner of war (POWs) swap of 2025 and the 64th since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022 The suspension reportedly affected 11 shipments of artillery shells and weapons from Dover Air Force Base and a U.S Trump said that Russia has grown more willing to negotiate an end to its war against Ukraine following a sharp decline in oil prices Poland will hold presidential elections on May 18 as the country faces key debates over social policy and national security that could shape its political trajectory The annual report said Russia is using aggressive tactics such as unauthorized airspace incursions and close encounters with NATO ships and aircraft including Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones located about 70 kilometers northwest of Donetsk remains one of the most fiercely contested sectors of the front where Russia has concentrated its main offensive efforts since March  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 11:41 am)Ukraine's drones target Moscow second night in a row, Russian official claims, ahead of Victory Day parade. Debris from one of the drones reportedly fell on the Kashirskoye Highway The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." Vice President Mike Pence said Putin "only understands power." About 800 million euros ($905 million) will be allocated for the acquisition and installation of anti-tank mines to deter potential aggression  (Updated:  May 6, 2025 9:36 am)War analysisFrance is sending Ukraine more AASM Hammer bombs — here's what they can do Polish President Andrzej Duda said the United States has tools that can effectively influence the Kremlin arguing that only President Donald Trump has real leverage over Russian President Vladimir Putin by Sonya BandouilA man exits the Moldovan Parliament building on Oct (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)Moldovan officials have condemned recent remarks by Nikolai Patrushev an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin who claimed that Moldova “will either become part of another state or cease to exist” due to its “anti-Russian policy,” Moldovan media outlet NewsMaker reported on January 14 Patrushev made the controversial statement in an interview, further blaming the Moldovan government for the energy crisis and urging Chisinau to "not deceive itself or its people," but instead "admit its mistakes and start fixing the situation." Moldova’s Foreign Ministry called the remarks unnaceptable interference in the internal affairs of the country “Moldova is a sovereign state that stands firmly on the path of democracy and European integration in line with the will of its citizens,” the Foreign Ministry said worsened by Russia's suspension of gas supplies in December 2024 has been labeled by Chisinau as Kremlin blackmail and a threat to national security Moldova began sourcing electricity from European markets resulting in significant disruptions in the Russian-controlled Transnistria region including power outages and industrial shutdowns Transnistrian authorities previously rejected an offer from Chisinau to help purchase gas via European platforms While Moldova has transitioned to European energy supplies, Transnistria remains heavily reliant on Russian gas. Russian troops have been stationed in the region since the early 1990s crisp morning just a few days ahead of Moldova’s landmark referendum on European Union integration a handful of volunteers scattered out across the town of Rîşcani to talk to residents about the upcoming vote The European Commission accepted Moldova's candidacy to join the EU in 2022 and opened accession negotiations in June this year The EU has pledged almost $2 billion in economic support for Moldova to help the country accomplish the necessary reforms to achieve membership and improve infrastructure badly in need of an upgrade While various opinion polls over recent months show that most Moldovans support EU membership residents in predominantly Russian-speaking regions like the north still favor stronger ties with Russia over EU membership where pro-Kremlin political groups have a strong foothold and disinformation is prevalent the volunteers were met with a heavy degree of skepticism from local residents “It’s so close-minded here,” said Andrian Ursache He admitted that trying to get through to people amid all the propaganda was a struggle They don’t want to [join] the European Union because they don’t believe in the European Union or because they are not very informed,” he said many residents approached by the volunteers declined to even talk about the upcoming vote Some indicated their opposition by crossing their arms to form an “X.” One local resident said the referendum had been thought up by “idiots,” while another repeated an oft-used Russian disinformation line that moving any closer to Europe would draw Moldova into war “They want to go back and be a part of something that doesn’t exist anymore,” Ursache said referencing Moldova’s decades as part of the former Soviet Union Since declaring independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 Moldova has struggled to free itself from Russian influence and prosper economically A significant chunk of the workforce has migrated abroad for economic opportunities emptying out villages and leaving behind an increasingly graying population Many of the country’s 2.6 million residents still depend on agriculture modest pensions or salaries far below the rest of Europe for their livelihoods Moscow also continues to back Transnistria where the Kremlin helps to maintain a presence of some 1,500 troops and a frozen conflict has lingered for over three decades Russia’s February 2022 invasion of neighboring Ukraine sparked an influx of refugees into Moldova creating an energy crisis and driving up the cost of utilities which has further strained household budgets Moldova has since successfully diversified its energy supply but still buys electricity from the Russian-backed breakaway region of Transnistria President Sandu, who has made EU membership the pillar of her reelection campaign, has strongly condemned the invasion of Ukraine and warned that Russia is actively seeking to overthrow her own government. The Kremlin has overtly threatened Moldova on numerous occasions and stoked political unrest by bankrolling Russia-friendly politicians who pay protesters to agitate against Moldova’s pro-Western government Moldova has expelled dozens of Russian diplomats and embassy staff attempted to block numerous media outlets Moldovan authorities accuse of spreading Russian propaganda and even closed its airspace briefly in February 2023 over what the Sandu government described as an attempted coup Disinformation aside, divisions within Moldovan society are real and they play out in culture wars encompassing a range of topics. In March of last year, Moldova’s parliament passed a law naming Romanian the country’s only official language prompting backlash from pro-Russian opposition groups who tried to disrupt the proceedings Dozens of priests have also left the Russian-backed Orthodox Church for the Romanian Orthodox Church Russia and its local proxies are now accused of trying to thwart a “Yes” vote on EU membership through vote buying and a sophisticated campaign of disinformation national police chief Viorel Cernautanu alleged that a Russian network bribed more than 130,000 Moldovans to vote against the referendum and in favor of Kremlin-aligned candidates around $15 million had been transferred to accounts opened at Russia's Promsvyazbank officials at Chișinău airport confiscated the equivalent of about $1 million in cash from pro-Russian opposition members returning via Armenia from a gathering in Moscow who was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison last year for his role in the disappearance of $1 billion from Moldova's banking system has openly offered on the mobile messaging app Telegram to pay voters who convince others at polling stations to vote against the referendum dangling a bonus if a majority of people at their polling station vote “No.” In comments to Russia's TASS news agency, Shor dismissed the allegations of bribery as an "absurd spectacle." Buying off supporters has been a tried-and-true tactic for politicians supported by Moscow Shor and his allies began organizing frequent anti-government rallies in Chișinău Often those who attended were elderly pensioners upset about the skyrocketing cost of living Earlier this month, Moldova’s Ziarul de Gardǎ, an independent news outlet, published an in-depth investigation after infiltrating Shor’s network revealing tactics used by the protest organizers Moscow has been fine-tuning its use of propaganda in Moldova for years Moldova has had limited success blocking Russian-language propaganda sites a Moldovan think tank that monitors disinformation has identified around 200 distinct themes promoted over Russian-linked disinformation sources regarding the referendum Some of these include promoting rumors that all the arable land in Moldova will be sold off to foreigners churches with ties to the Russian Orthodoxy will be shuttered Moldova will be forced to join the war effort in Ukraine and there will be mandatory education promoting LGBTQ+ rights introduced into school curricula Such tropes prey upon existing fears and prejudices language and LGBTQ-related issues were exploited heavily “Russian propaganda is always talking about how the West is degrading that they are actually robbing everybody of their values,” Curararu said “Some people are quite easily persuaded by these primitive narratives.”