Moldova extends state of emergency, says risks from war are high

CHISINAU (Reuters) – Moldova’s parliament on Thursday voted to extend a state of emergency for 60 days after the government said it still needed special powers to deal with the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita, speaking to legislators, cited continuing risks to energy and border security and the need to manage the flow of refugees from Ukraine.

“The risks for Moldova due to the war in Ukraine remain high. The government needs additional powers,” she said. The extension will come into force on Aug 8.

Around 500,000 refugees have crossed the border since the February invasion, of whom just over 100,000 remained in Moldova, a small nation of around 2.6 million people.

Moldova’s parliament initially voted to approve a temporary state of emergency on Feb. 24, two days after Russia’s invasion, and extended the measure in April and June.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by Hugh Lawson)