President Maia Sandu met today with European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, who is visiting Chisinau. The head of state emphasized that Moldova’s preparedness to face challenges and crises also contributes to the security of the European Union, TRIBUNA reports.

During the meeting, the President noted that Moldova is strengthening its resilience to various types of crises. Over the past year, the country has established a national crisis management system, which will be further developed so that the population can be warned quickly and institutions can respond in a coordinated manner.

The two officials discussed cooperation under the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, in which Moldova has participated with full rights since 2024. Through this mechanism, the country has received support in several situations, including during the energy crisis and following the pollution of the Dniester River caused by Russian attacks on Ukraine. Moldova, in turn, also provides assistance: this summer, Moldovan firefighters took part, for the fourth time, in efforts to extinguish wildfires in Greece.

The discussion also addressed support for refugees from Ukraine. The President warned that Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure could make the coming winter particularly difficult, and Moldova will continue to provide support.

The officials also discussed issues related to non-discrimination, gender equality, and combating domestic violence. President Sandu reiterated that Moldova is building a society in which every citizen has the opportunity to reach their full potential. She noted that the country is committed to strengthening mechanisms to protect women from violence and welcomed European support in this area.

A separate topic was the Republic of Moldova’s European integration path. The head of state noted that Moldovan institutions are making considerable efforts to align national legislation with European standards and called for the European Commission’s support in opening all negotiation clusters.