Decade of Action in Moldova

On 11 May 2011, Moldova launched the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety along with many other countries to mark the start of a new period of action to save lives on roads. Once the UN resolution declaring 2011-2020 as the Decade of Action for Road Safety was signed, the Republic of Moldova assumed all responsibilities arising in it, including the target to reduce the number of road fatalities by 50 % by 2020.

The launch ceremony was held at the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The Automobile Club of Moldova (ACM) was one of the main initiators and organisers of the event, together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Transport, the Road Traffic Police, and the Ministry of Education. The event was attended by many people, including representatives from all sections of public and private life including the government, international organisations, non-governmental organisations, the Union of Motorists of Moldova, the Society of the Disabled, the families of road accident victims, students, schoolchildren, teachers, doctors, sportsmen and cultural figures.

The ceremony was opened by the official speech of the Prime-Minister who declared: “In the Republic of Moldova, road safety is an important issue which is becoming a priority in order to have a healthy society and economy. Our country made big steps towards improving the current situation such as the formation of the National Council for Road Safety, (of which ACM is a member), and the adoption of the Plan of Action regarding road safety issues that Moldova will move on implementing in this field.” |



Emma MacLennan, Director of the Eastern Alliance for Safe and Sustainable Transport (EASST), said: “We must not forget that road injuries are already the number one killer of young people aged 10-24 in every region of the world. Children are one third of the world’s population – but they are all of our future. Today we have an opportunity to make our roads a safer place for everyone.”

After the speeches, students and pupils from different schools and universities organised a parade, holding flags and balloons with the image of the Decade of Action tag. The police orchestra also participated in the parade through the capital. Two hundred students from the College of Transport also formed a live Decade of Action tag by standing in the formation of the symbol and dressing in yellow.

The support of the Government of the Republic of Moldova, of important road safety stakeholders, and of national and international partners, was essential. All of them support and promote road safety through their actions and are seeking to combine efforts to make Moldova’s roads as safe as possible.