Today, 24 February, marking four years since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Mayor of Chișinău, Ion Ceban, reiterated his condemnation of the war against the neighbouring country, emphasizing that Chișinău has been on the front line since the very first day, TRIBUNA reports.

“We acted quickly and responsibly, mobilizing material resources, logistics, qualified specialists, doctors, social workers and psychologists to support those forced to leave their homes. The first refugee accommodation centre was opened by the Chișinău City Hall, and later, across 45 placement centres, we provided shelter, food, assistance and, above all, safety,” the mayor stated.

According to official data, more than 54,000 Ukrainian refugees currently reside in Chișinău under temporary protection status, though the real numbers are significantly higher.

Among them, 11,349 are children and adolescents aged 0–18.

The municipality offers Ukrainian refugees free access to the education system—schools and kindergartens—Romanian language courses, extracurricular activities for refugee children, as well as medical and social assistance.

At present, 1,775 refugee students from Ukraine are integrated into 56 general education institutions in the capital, while 505 refugee children attend 62 municipal kindergartens.

Ensuring access to quality education for all children remains a priority for the municipality, which continues to invest in modernizing and expanding school infrastructure to provide better learning conditions.

At the same time, young entrepreneurs—including refugees from Ukraine—can benefit from business development grants in Chișinău. The non‑reimbursable funding is offered through the municipal programme “Startup for Youth and Migrants,” giving people the chance to build a new beginning here, whether temporary or long‑term.

Over the past four years, 205 refugee women have given birth in Chișinău’s municipal maternity hospitals, where they receive full support.

“Chișinău has been and will remain a city of solidarity. We believe in peace. We believe in people’s ability to rebuild,” Ion Ceban concluded.