EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO PROVIDE 140 MILLION EUROS TO EaP COUNTRIES

The European Commission decided on Monday to allocate 140 million euros to the Eastern Partnership countries, including Moldova.

According to the EC press release, this measure is a part of the global response to the coronavirus outbreak and is aimed for the most immediate needs in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

In addition, the Commission will also redirect the use of existing instruments worth up to 700 million euros to help mitigate the socio-economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

“These funds are already responding to immediate needs, through the ongoing regional “Rapid Response Mechanism”, such as supporting local schools with distance learning. By the summer, and as part of this package, the Commission will launch the “Eastern Partnership Solidarity Program” which will target the most affected parts of the populations through civil society support and notably sub-grants to smaller, local organizations”, the document says.

Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi said that these are very difficult times not only for the EU, but for its partner countries as well.

“We are doing all we can to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on human lives and livelihoods. We are responding both to the immediate needs of the health systems, as well as longer term needs to the most vulnerable groups in society and small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the economies in the six countries”¸ he said.