The North Regional Office of the Migration and Asylum Bureau in Balti, renovated and inaugurated

Over 200 migrants will benefit from additional assistance each year. The Office will provide migrants with a wide range of services, such as: documentation, legal and social counseling, vocational guidance and training, thus ensuring their sustainable integration in society.

At the same time, it will contribute to strengthening the capacities to combat illegal migration.

"The activities to strengthen the capacities of MIA services in the territory are part of a comprehensive reform program of the Ministry aimed at providing support to the population of the region as well as to that of the foreigners who form an impression of Republic of Moldova, based on the help and services provided by our employees. The support provided by the US Embassy, ​​the European Union and the UN so far is remarkable and enables capacity building in the areas we manage, and these achievements are proof of beautiful collaborations", said Minister of Internal Affairs, Alexandru Jizdan.

In this context, the US Ambassador to Chisinau stressed that these achievements are beneficial to the citizens: "This renovated unit will help the Bureau for Migration and Asylum fulfill its basic tasks. Foreigners coming to Moldova seeking a better life will know that Moldova reflects the same western values ​​that unite us all, " said US Ambassador to Republic of Moldova, James Pettit.

In turn, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident representative in Moldova, Dafina Gercheva, said: "The opening of the Bureau is a great achievement, but this is just the beginning. The United Nations Organization in Moldova will continue to support the Migration and Asylum Bureau in its efforts to integrate immigrants and refugees into society by strengthening capacities and training both the staff and the leadership, supporting better coordination between line ministries and community’s involvement."

The Deputy Head of Operation Section of the EU Delegation to Moldova, Marco Gemmer emphasized the importance of this institution for people who, by offering quality services, will become host and home to them.

The guests visited newly refurbished offices and met BMA employees who would benefit from optimal work conditions.

The renovation of the headquarters was done thanks to the European Union's funding of about 6 mln. MDL and the contribution of 1 mln. 450 thousand MDL from the US Embassy to the Republic of Moldova through a project of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided assistance in developing modern design, providing furniture and purchasing a set of computers worth cca. 900,000 MDL.

In 2016, the Moldovan migrant population was 3.51% of the total resident population (over 100 thousand people).