OSCE Mission to Moldova helps raise awareness on dangers of explosive remnants of war

The Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Philip Remler and Moldova’s Defence Minister Vitalie Marinuţa launched on 10 November 2011 an information campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of explosive remnants of war.

The campaign, designed jointly by the OSCE Mission and the Moldova’s Defence Ministry, will educate people, especially children, on how to avoid risks in contaminated areas. It will cover the whole country, concentrating on the most affected parts, the sites of fighting during the World War II and the armed conflict of 1992.

“Many of the victims of unexploded ordnance are children,” said Remler addressing representatives of local and regional authorities and school administrators attending the handover ceremony.  “Two children died tragically in the Orhei district this March.”  He welcomed the involvement of schools, local authorities and the police in spreading the message during the campaign.

“Unexploded ammunition continues to claim victims and this project aims to raise awareness among the population about the existing threats,” Marinuţa said.

The project is part of the broad co-operation between the Defence Ministry and the OSCE Mission to reduce the dangers to the population posed by excess, poorly stored or unexploded ammunition and weaponry.