Prepared Moldova: What Does Being Prepared for the First 72 Hours of a Crisis Involve, and What Is the Role of the Authorities?

The “Prepared Moldova” programme is based on a simple principle: a better-prepared state and society can better cope with unforeseen situations. This involves both institutions capable of responding and ensuring the continuity of public services, and citizens who know the basic measures to protect themselves and support those around them.

The first national campaign, dedicated to preparing for the first 72 hours of a crisis, will be launched in November 2026 and will include practical recommendations for the public, awareness-raising activities, training sessions and exercises.

Why do we need to prepare, and what types of crises are we preparing for?

Public preparedness is not driven by the existence of a current threat about which the authorities possess information but are not communicating. The programme aims to develop a culture of preparedness, regardless of the nature of the crises we may or may not face.

The experiences of recent years have shown us that crises can take many different forms and affect our daily lives, even when we least expect them: interruptions to electricity or water supplies, earthquakes, epidemics, cyberattacks, disruptions in the supply of essential goods, extreme weather events or other incidents that affect society’s daily life. Some situations develop gradually, while others can arise without warning. That is why preparedness should not begin only when a crisis occurs.

What is the state doing to ensure it is prepared?

Crisis preparedness is not limited to recommendations addressed to citizens.

The National Crisis Management Centre (CNMC) coordinates the development of a national crisis management system involving more than 70 public institutions and entities, with over 300 representatives participating at strategic, operational, tactical and crisis communication levels. At the same time, mechanisms are being developed for risk assessment, interinstitutional coordination, continuity of public activities and services, crisis communication, and cooperation with local authorities, the business community, civil society, the media and academia.

The “Prepared Moldova” programme complements these efforts with a component dedicated to the public and local communities. The aim is to make preparedness a regular practice rather than a last-minute response.

What about vulnerable people and families who cannot afford to build up emergency supplies?

Recommendations for household preparedness will take into account the different realities faced by the population. Being prepared does not mean purchasing expensive equipment or assembling all necessary supplies in a single day.

The guide, which is currently being developed and is scheduled for launch in November 2026, will include practical recommendations tailored to the needs of families with children, older people, persons with disabilities and other groups of citizens with specific needs. The proposals and recommendations received during consultations with civil society organisations, local public authorities, the media and the business community will also be taken into account.

Furthermore, as part of the planned regional activities, the CNMC aims to involve local authorities and institutions responsible for social protection, including in efforts to support vulnerable people. Preparing a community also means knowing who might need help, how to stay in contact with these people and how to act together.

Why are public consultations being organised?

The CNMC has launched a consultation process involving public institutions, media representatives, civil society organisations, local public authorities and the business community to finalise the concept of the public preparedness guide. Consultations with local authorities are being organised separately for the northern, central and southern regions to ensure that the recommendations reflect the conditions and needs of communities throughout the country as closely as possible.

The guide will be developed taking into account the contributions received and will be complemented by practical information and training activities. It will be a document that can be improved and updated over time in response to citizens’ needs. Therefore, the first version, which will be launched in November, will be accompanied by a form through which citizens can submit suggestions and proposals. We want this guide to remain useful and up to date, to respond as effectively as possible to people’s actual needs and to be improved with input from those who use it.

What comes next?

In November 2026, the Guide to Public Preparedness for the First 72 Hours of a Crisis will be launched, together with the “Alerts” module in EVO, the Republic of Moldova’s integrated government application for electronic services.

The launch will be accompanied by a series of information and preparedness activities, including the Resilience Congress and pilot activities organised in localities over the following days. These will include training for local authorities, practical activities for citizens, school exercises and the distribution of information materials.

These activities are only the beginning. “Prepared Moldova” is a long-term programme through which we aim to make preparedness for different types of crises a regular practice for both institutions and citizens. We want people to know how to protect themselves, authorities to be ready to respond, and communities to be able to act together and support one another.

Preparing for crises does not mean that they are necessarily going to occur. It is a preventive and responsible measure that can help reduce the risks and consequences of potential crises.

What are the financial implications of the programme?

The “Prepared Moldova” programme requires a joint effort by public institutions, international partners, local authorities and other organisations involved.

Some activities are carried out using the existing resources and capacities of public institutions, others benefit from the support of development partners, while the resources required for certain initiatives are still being identified. For example, state institutions are examining possibilities for providing guides and emergency backpacks free of charge to vulnerable people, so that they have access to information and practical preparedness resources. At the same time, public institutions are assessing the possibility of organising exercises and simulations during the November campaign to test their preparedness, coordination and crisis response capacities. These activities are currently being planned, subject to the available resources.

Does the programme involve declaring a state of alert or emergency?

No. “Prepared Moldova” is a programme for prevention, public information and preparedness, not a response measure to a crisis currently underway.

The National Crisis Management Centre (CNMC) operates under Law No. 248/2025 and Government Decision No. 579/2025. The launch of the programme does not entail the declaration of a state of alert or emergency, nor does it grant extraordinary powers to the authorities.

Why are we launching the “Prepared Moldova” programme now?

The past six years have shown us that risks are real and that crises can affect everyone’s life. We have experienced a pandemic, energy crises, power outages, extreme weather events and environmental crises. Each time, managing these situations has involved mobilising the authorities, emergency services, communities and citizens.

The experience gained has helped strengthen the state’s crisis response capacity and has also shown us how important it is to act before crises occur.

The CNMC was established approximately one year ago with the mandate to strengthen the way the Republic of Moldova prevents, prepares for, manages and recovers from crises.

During this first stage, efforts focused on state institutions. A coordination mechanism has been developed that now brings together more than 70 public institutions and entities and over 300 representatives involved at different levels of responsibility. At the same time, alongside crisis management, mechanisms for risk assessment, planning, coordination and the continuity of public activities and services are being developed.

We are now moving towards extending preparedness across society as a whole. In this process, citizens, families, local public authorities, educational institutions, civil society organisations, the media and the business community all have a role to play.

A prepared country needs both institutions that know how to work together and people who know how to protect themselves and support one another.

We are also doing this because people need and are asking for clear information, practical recommendations and support to help them know what to do in unforeseen situations. Today, we have more experience, stronger coordination mechanisms and the opportunity to bring preparedness closer to every family and community.

We want people to be prepared not only to react when a crisis occurs, but also to have the knowledge and resources they need in advance to protect themselves and those around them.

Public preparedness is therefore a natural continuation of the efforts to strengthen the Republic of Moldova’s resilience: better-coordinated institutions, better-prepared communities and citizens who know what to do.

Why 72 hours? Does this mean that the authorities will not intervene during this period?

The authorities respond from the very first moments of a crisis and continue to fulfil their responsibilities throughout its duration.

However, depending on the scale and nature of a crisis, emergency response teams may not be able to reach every household immediately, or all affected services may not be restored at once.

Let us consider a hypothetical case of a widespread power outage affecting several localities simultaneously. Specialised teams will work to restore electricity, while the authorities coordinate the response. At the same time, a family with a flashlight, drinking water, some non-perishable food, necessary medication and a simple plan for staying in contact with loved ones will be better able to cope during this period.

The 72-hour period is an internationally recognised preparedness benchmark that helps us plan for our basic needs during a period when certain services may be temporarily disrupted.

This allows emergency response teams to prioritise people in danger or those requiring immediate assistance, severely affected communities and people who cannot manage without support, while also focusing efforts on restoring the affected services.

Preparing for 72 hours means that citizens and authorities are better equipped to act together, with each contributing to the safety of the community. Citizen preparedness and state response complement one another. The more people know how to act safely, the better the entire community can respond to a crisis.

What does the state do, and what is the role of citizens?

Crisis management is an ongoing process comprising four stages: prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

Prevention means identifying and reducing risks before they cause serious consequences. Preparedness involves plans, training, exercises, resources and practical measures that enable an effective response. Response means coordinating interventions, protecting the population and limiting the consequences of a crisis. Recovery focuses on restoring affected services and activities, learning lessons and strengthening resilience for the future.

The state has responsibilities at every stage, and the CNMC contributes to coordinating efforts within the national crisis management system.

Through “Prepared Moldova”, this approach is brought closer to citizens. Knowing how to respond, where to find official information, what to keep within reach and how to help our family or neighbours are simple measures that can nevertheless have a significant impact.

Does this mean that the authorities are planning to interrupt services for 72 hours? Is there a military scenario that the public has not been informed about?

No. The campaign to prepare for the first 72 hours does not involve or announce a planned interruption of electricity, water supplies, communications or other public services. The 72 hours represent a preparedness benchmark for the population, not the duration of a scheduled outage.

The programme’s purpose is public and clear: to strengthen the ability of institutions, citizens and communities to prevent, prepare for and respond to different types of crises.

The Republic of Moldova has experienced power outages, while the Nistru River pollution crisis in the spring of this year led to the temporary suspension of water supplies in several localities. The pandemic, extreme weather events and other incidents have also shown us how quickly everyday life can be disrupted unexpectedly. These experiences provide sufficient reasons to prepare in advance, without having to wait for another crisis.

Preparing for a possible disruption of a service does not mean that the disruption is planned. It means learning from the situations we have experienced and taking measures to manage those that may arise in the future more effectively.

As regards security risks, these are part of the regional reality and, like natural, technological or energy-related risks, must be taken into account in national planning. Preparing for multiple types of risks is a normal state responsibility and does not, in itself, indicate the existence of an imminent threat.

At the same time, 72 hours does not represent a period during which citizens would be left without support. The authorities and emergency services act from the first moments of a crisis, although the scale of an event determines their ability to respond simultaneously to every household.

That is why we want every family to know how to temporarily meet its basic needs, receive official information and act safely until normal conditions are restored.

The better prepared we are individually and as communities, the more effectively the authorities can focus their response on areas where there is immediate danger and where people need the most assistance.

What functionalities will the new information and notification module in the EVO application have, when will it be launched, how will it work in relation to the MD-Alert system, and what are the financial implications of its development?

The National Crisis Management Centre (CNMC), in cooperation with the Electronic Governance Agency (AGE), is currently finalising the module, which is scheduled to be launched in November 2026 as part of the “Prepared Moldova” programme and the campaign to prepare the population for the first 72 hours of a crisis. The CNMC coordinates the content component and the requirements for crisis information, while AGE is responsible for technical development and integration into the application.

EVO and MD-Alert are distinct tools with complementary functions. MD-Alert is designed to send warnings directly to compatible mobile phones located in a risk area, without requiring an installed application or an internet connection, using mobile network infrastructure. The EVO module will provide users of the application with an additional notification channel and access to official information and practical recommendations.

Therefore, EVO’s usefulness is not limited to the period before MD-Alert becomes operational. The intention is for both tools to be used in the long term, according to their respective functions, with the coordination of notifications to be adapted as the national system is launched.

An important component of the EVO module will be a crisis response guide. It will bring together recommendations organised into three stages—before, during and after an event—for situations such as disruptions to essential services, natural disasters or public health risks. The content is being developed with contributions from approximately 15 public entities, according to their respective areas of responsibility. For the initial stage, Romanian and Russian versions are being prepared.

Notifications will aim to inform the public about relevant risks and recommended protective measures. Not every incident will automatically trigger a notification: the severity of the situation, its potential impact and the need for citizens to take action will be taken into account.

It is important to note that receiving notifications through EVO depends on internet access and the settings of the application and the phone. For this reason, EVO will complement existing information channels. Television, radio, the press and public authorities will remain necessary means of communication, including for people who do not use the application or do not have access to digital services.

Regarding costs, the development of the module is separate from the MD-Alert project. To date, work has been carried out using the existing personnel and infrastructure of the CNMC and AGE, without additional financial allocations specifically dedicated to developing the module.

The technical features and specific conditions of use are still being finalised and tested, and any communication about them must reflect the results validated by the responsible teams. At the November launch, we will present the available functionalities, their limitations and practical instructions for use, ensuring that citizens receive complete and verified information.

Where can citizens find official information about the “Prepared Moldova” programme and the “First 72 Hours” campaign?

For up-to-date and verified information about the national “Prepared Moldova” programme, the campaign dedicated to preparing for the first 72 hours of a crisis and the planned activities, we encourage citizens to follow official information sources, primarily the communication channels of the National Crisis Management Centre (CNMC), the institution responsible for coordinating these initiatives: https://cnmc.gov.md/ro; https://www.facebook.com/cnmcgov