By Lorena Cristea
Russia President Vladimir Putin declared war on Ukraine in the early hours of 24th of February. Since then, Ukrainian refugees are heading towards the borders of neighbouring countries, such as Romania and Poland. The Kyiv Independent has reported that over two million refugees who have left Ukraine in the last 15 days.
The Romanian government have taken measures for the goodwill of those who are coming from Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on their website that Ukrainians are not compelled to take a Covid test when crossing the border. The Ministry of Education is allowing Ukrainian students who cannot verify their higher education documents to enrol in Romanian universities, based on their home university’s criteria, their website says.
Romanian people are willing to do the best they can to help their neighbours in need. Volunteers around the country have brought vital goods to collection points, such as water, clothes, food and personal hygiene products.
Other Romanians are helping refugees with free accommodation and transport. Volunteer Miruna Panasianu, 18, is from Constanta in southeast Romania near the Black Sea, and admits that she has not seen such mobilization coming from their peers “for a pretty long time”.
“It is simply unjust and I think every effort like donations of any kind (from money to food to simple gestures like giving them flowers to show them that they are accepted in our community) matters,” says 20-year-old Vlad-Silviu Gheorghe, a law student.
People can donate money to organisations such as the Romanian Red Cross and UNESCO.
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