Moldova’s winter heating aid faces surge in demand across Soroca District
Winter heating compensation remains a crucial form of support for low-income households in Moldova.
To ensure the financial aid reaches all those who qualify, social workers are undertaking door-to-door visits to assist mobility-impaired beneficiaries with their application forms.
In the village of Șolcani, located in the northern Soroca district, resident Eugenia Ciucium is apprehensive about the cold season. Due to limited mobility, she is unable to leave her home easily. Her current stockpile of firewood is insufficient to last through the end of the year.
"These are all the logs I have. They will not sustain me through the winter; they won't even last until New Year's," Ms. Ciucium stated. She is waiting for government compensation, which represents a critical resource in her struggle against energy poverty.
A local social worker visited her to facilitate the application process. Ms. Ciucium noted that last year she received 800 Moldovan lei (approx. $45), funds she allocated strictly to purchasing fuel. "I used the 800 lei for firewood and coal, buying small quantities each month," she said. "An increase in the amount would be beneficial, but I hope to receive at least the previous year's subsidy."
Such home visits are standard procedure for the 66 social workers operating within Soroca district, who currently support approximately 700 vulnerable families.
"We visit beneficiaries who cannot travel to the mayor’s office," explained Svetlana Iftodii, a social worker. "It is our duty to assist them, particularly with the onset of cold weather. They combine a small portion of their pension with the 800 lei state aid to afford essential supplies, such as one cubic meter of firewood."
The volume of applications for heating compensation continues to rise. Nearly 12,000 residents in the Soroca district have submitted requests so far, contributing to a national total of over 400,000 registered applications.
Authorities are scheduled to announce at the end of the month which applicants meet the eligibility criteria and confirm the final value of the compensations. The approved amounts will be electronically transferred to the beneficiaries' social benefit accounts or, where accounts are unavailable, they can be collected in cash from local post offices.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
