March 18 (SeeNews) - The European Commission said it has signed a legally binding agreement with Moldova on border management cooperation between the country's border guards and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"Moldovan actions in receiving and hosting people fleeing war in Ukraine have been impressive. Since the beginning of the war, Moldova has received the highest number of refugees per capita in the region," Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson said in a press release on Thursday.
The draft decision on the conclusion of the agreement will be sent to the European Parliament, which needs to give its consent for the agreement to be concluded, the Commission said. However, based on a provisional application of the Council decision, additional Frontex staff can be deployed as of March 17.
Of the over 3 million people who have so far fled from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, more than 300,000 persons so far have sought safety in Moldova. According to the Commission, Moldovan border guards are facing challenges both in view of the high number of arrivals and sharing a border with an active war zone.
To support the Moldovan authorities to address these challenges, this agreement will allow for increased deployment of Frontex teams. Their tasks will include border management support which could encompass screening, registration and identity checks of people crossing the border and border surveillance tasks.