Memorandum on Explosion Threat Reduction Signed at the Ministry of Defense

CHISINAU, May 4, 2012 — Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova signed Friday, May 4, the Memorandum of Agreement on the National Army Ammunition Dump Explosion Threat. The document provides the implementation of a program on explosion threat reduction at the National Army ammunition depots.

In compliance with the Memorandum concluded by Col. Andrei Sarban, Deputy Chief of National Army Main Staff, and Lee Moroney, advisor, Mine Action Department, Norwegian People’s Aid, a few NPA- and OSCE Mission-led projects will be implemented in the near future. Thus, the current guidelines and norms regulating the mine and weapons management in the National Army will be modified to meet international standards. The projects also highlight the organization of some practical exercises and professional training courses for servicemen dealing with such kind of events.

According to Col. Andrei Sarban, in the framework of the first project carried out during May 7 and June 15, the Norwegian experts, along with the Moldovan military men, will palletize and categorize obsolete ammunition that will be further destroyed at Bulboaca Military Training Site.

The project cost of about 30 thousand USD is covered by Norwegian People’s Aid.