ATTACHMENT NO. 1:
Priorities of the Development Co-operation between the Czech Republic and the
Republic of Moldova for the Years 2006–2010
Sectoral Focus of the Programme
In view of the breadth of Moldova’s development needs and the limits on human and financial
resources, the CR has chosen to focus on three specific sectors in its co-operation with
Moldova.
The Czech Republic can make a considerable contribution towards the achievement of
Moldova’s development objectives, especially in the interest sectors specified, i.e., the
environmental sector, human resource development (prevention of migration and easing its
negative effects), and education. The environmental protection sector is particularly
important for Moldova; Czech IDC projects that have already been implemented (or prepared)
and nascent private business activities in that sector demonstrate both that the CR has
something to offer in this respect and that our assistance has been very welcome and highly
appreciated. Preventing illegal migration and easing the social and economic impacts of
migration will also contributed towards the achievement of Moldova’s development goals,
since in addition to strengthening the capacities of the Moldovan public sector, it will help to
generate small and mid-sized business activities in rural areas, hence creating attractive
alternatives to migration and supporting regional development. Strengthening the level and
qualifications of human resources is critical for Moldova’s development over the long-term.
Some form of human resource support and components designed to enhance the qualifications
of Moldova’s population should be an element in all future projects. There is a direct link
here with the education sector, largely through strengthening the professional capacities of
Moldova’s institutions of higher education.
Geographic Focus of the Programme
In view of the relatively small territory of the Republic of Moldova, as well as its geographic
setting, regions where development interventions are on-going or have been implemented in
the past years emerge as the most appropriate areas for further interventions (the Chisinau
region, rural regions near the capital).
Indicative Summary of the Development Co-operation Programme of the Czech
Republic and Moldova for the 2006–2010 Period
1. Environmental sector
1.1 Co-operation in the area of water protection
The issue of water management is one of the Moldovan Government’s key development
priorities. Moldova is located in a region with relatively low precipitation and limited water
resources of inadequate quality.
Overall, the situation in the sector of water management is suffering from a lack of funds
needed for modernisation and a out-dated infrastructure – most of the equipment used in
water treatment and distribution is over thirty years old, as are the sewage lines and waste1
water treatment facilities. Modern environmental protection laws passed in the early 1990s,
set drinking water standards in line with those of the World Health Organisation, but the
limits on the release of wastewater into surface waters were set at levels that are considerably
stricter than those currently applied in the EU.
The use of local sources of drinking water (wells) is a typical phenomenon in the scattered
village settlements in rural areas. An estimated 60% of the population get their water supply
from these sources.
Considering the quality of the water from those sources that are
inspected (which can contain heavy metals, pesticides, nitrogen, phosphorus, fluorine and
organic contaminants), the negative impacts on the health of the population are thought to be
very high.
In the wastewater treatment sector, it is estimated that 85-90% of municipal and industrial
wastewater is released directly into the environment with no effective treatment, causing the
contamination of existing drinking-water sources. Only the larger cities have wastewater
treatment facilities and these are outdated and in no way adequate to meet current standards.
There is another problem that is specific to the areas around the larger cities: the single-family
homes for the wealthy that have been built in these areas in recent years are not connected to
water or sewage lines. This causes extensive contamination of individual drinking-water
sources.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
assistance in altering the technical limits set for the release of treated wastewater to reflect
EU standards;
•
transfer of experience with modern wastewater treatment equipment/technology, with the
exploitation of the sludge produced for electricity and heat production (cogeneration), and
with treatment of drinking water. This co-operation is expected to yield benefits for the
CR in the form of the promotion of Czech technical equipment;
•
assistance in creating new water sources;
•
assistance in cleaning up environmental pollution from the past.
The co-operation mentioned above will contribute towards improving environmental
conditions and the health of the Moldovan population, and it will also help increase the
competitiveness of the country’s private sector. The latter is very important for Moldovan
enterprises, as they will not have access to EU markets until preventative environmental
regulations are put in place.
1.2 Co-operation in the hydrometeorology and climatology sector
Moldova has a mild continental climate with 280-300 sunny days per year and a mild winter.
Fertile chernozem soil (75% of the land) and favourable climactic conditions make agriculture
a key sector of the Moldovan economy. Due to the direct relationship between weather and
agricultural income, the fields of meteorology and climatology are extremely important for
Moldova’s economy.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
strengthening the hydrological and meteorological monitoring network and atmospheric
monitoring
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•
assistance with the prediction of extreme weather events and impact minimisation
•
introduction of a climatology database
1.3 Co-operation in the area of protection of biological diversity
Intensive human activity (forest exploitation, agriculture) has led to the destruction of a
considerable part of Moldova’s original vegetation and biological diversity. Less than 2% of
Moldova’s land is protected territory, far less than is the case in most European countries.
Moldova does not have a national park or even “wetlands of international significance”
(according to the Ramsar Convention). Forests, made up for the most part of non-native and
less resistant species, cover 10% of the territory.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
assistance in cataloguing biological diversity, eco-systems, and biotopes
•
assistance in expanding the network of protected territories and creating a monitoring
system – assessing the existing group of protected territories and proposing additions,
evaluating the state of the forest eco-system
•
priority identification in endangered species’ protection, preservation programmes for
selected species
•
assistance in mapping Moldova’s wetlands, preparing programmes for the preservation of
selected wetlands
2. The sector of human resources development and social and economic stabilisation of
the Moldovan population
2.1 Strengthening the capacities of Moldovan state institutions
At the present time, Moldova is having difficulty controlling the movement of persons
passing through its territory into third countries, as well dealing with the migration of a
considerable portion of its own working population. Adequate mechanisms are not yet in
place for monitoring and controlling the movement of foreign citizens onto the Republic’s
territory, and this is detrimental to the Moldovan public sector’s ability to battle issues like
organised crime, smuggling, and human trafficking effectively.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
strengthening the capacities of the Moldovan state administration, chiefly of the Interior
Ministry and of the frontier service, and supporting the creation of an asylum infrastructur
• transferring experiences to Moldova’s migrant and asylum services staff through
professional seminars and training
2.2 Social and economic stabilisation of potential migrants
This set of activities is related both to the previous point as well as to the Moldovan
Government’s priority in the sphere of human capital development and employment support.
Roughly 30-40% of the working population has left the country. This has led to a palpable
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drop in the population, particularly the male population, in some areas. The chances for
women to find jobs with adequate pay are very low, and the social system functions only at a
very basic level. The programme aimed at stabilising potential migrants will concentrate
mainly on creating adequate alternatives to migration and attempts to trigger social,
economic, and community development.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
support of job creation
•
co-operation in the organisation and operation of recreational facilities for children in
local communities
3. Education sector
This sector is closely related to strengthening human resources and to the Moldovan
Government’s attempt to construct a modern and efficient education system. CR activities
will focus primarily on co-operation in the area of higher education and exchange of
experience among scientific and research institutions. The introduction of environmental
aspects into instruction also ties in with the activities planned for the environmental sector.
Czech development co-operation will focus on the following in this sector:
•
preparations for implementing the Bologna Declaration at institutions of higher education
in Moldova;
•
development of curricula in the fields taught at Moldovan universities;
•
introduction of environmental aspects within instruction and improvement of the
pedagogical skills of instructors.
Cross-Cutting Issues
1. Strengthening cultural, economic and social ties between the Czech Republic and
Moldova, including the promotion of co-operation among education and research
institutions
2. Strengthening the capacities of the Moldovan public sector and the transfer of experiences
in the areas of economic and social transformation and establishment of the rule of law
3. Promotion of the creation of a functioning and stable civil society and strengthening the
role of citizens’ initiatives and non-governmental organisations
4. Promotion of community development
5. Active promotion of gender equality in society and support for the efforts of the
Moldovan Government to eradicate the abuse of women and children
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