The official language is Moldovan (Latin script), a dialect of the Romanian language. Business language is mostly Russian. After the annexation to the Soviet Union in 1940, the Cyrillic alphabet was introduced in Moldova in order to give the country a »national identity«. The Latin alphabet was reinstated in 1989, but after 45 years of Soviet rule, many people found it difficult to speak Moldovan. Russian is still the most spoken language; also Ukrainian, Gagauz (a Turkic language) and other minority languages. Occasionally, English and French are understood as foreign languages, especially in the big cities. Moldovan differs from the Romanian spoken in Romania in particular in the pronunciation, eg the s is pronounced much harder in Moldova than in Romania. There are also some differences in grammar. The vocabulary, on the other hand, is almost the same. Some Russian loanwords are used in Moldova, while French and English words are mainly found in more Western-oriented Romania. Linguists do not see Moldovan as a separate language but as a dialect of Romanian. The term Moldovan is therefore exclusively politically justified. According to Moldovan law, Moldovan and Romanian are equal; in schools, the media, as well as in some administrative areas, the term Romanian is used. In Transnistria, in addition to Moldovan, Russian and Ukrainian are official languages,
The following items can be brought into Moldova duty-free (persons aged 18 and over): 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars/cigarillos; 2 l of wine or vermouth, brandy, liqueur; 5 l of malted beer; perfume and other personal items; food as travel provisions to the destination.
Prohibited Imports
Weapons. More information is available from Countryaah.com.
Contact addresses
Embassy of Moldova
Avenue de France 23
Geneva
Switzerland
+41 (0)22 733 91 03.
http://www.geneva.mfa.md/embassy-rm-eng
http://www.geneva.mfa.md/embassy -rm-eng Embassy of Moldova
Honorary consulate in Innsbruck and St. Pölten.
Löwengasse 47/10
Wien
Austria
+43 (0)1 961 10 30. Consular Section: +43 (0)1 961 10 30 27.
http://austria.mfa.gov.md/en
http://austria.mfa. gov.md/en
Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations Breite Straße 29, 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel. +49 (0)30 206 16 71 16. Website: www.ostausschuss.de Austrian Economic Chamber, Foreign Trade Organisation, Department for Eastern Europe Wiedner Hauptstraße 63, 1045 Vienna, Austria Tel. +43 (0)1 59 09 00 43 22. Website: www.wko.at United Economic Chambers c/o DPS Communications GmbH Kasernenstrasse 11, Zurich, Switzerland Tel. +41 (0)44 226 90 61. Website: www.jointchambers .ch Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Moldova Stefan cel Mare str., 151, 2012, Chisinau, Moldova Tel. +373 (0)22 22 15 52. Website: chamber.md/en
Communication
Phone
According to Abbreviationfinder.org, the country code is 00373. There are public payphones. Telephone cards are available at Moldtelecom sales points, at the post office, in hotels and kiosks. The phone cards can be used on public payphones as well as on private landline connections and for mobile phone calls.
Mobile phone
900 GSM, 3G and 4G. Mobile phone companies include Moldtelecom, Moldcell and Orange Moldova. Roaming contracts exist. However, it may be cheaper to buy a prepaid SIM card in Moldova. The mobile network covers almost the entire country.
Internet
There are internet cafes in Chisinau and other big cities. In the big cities, most hotels, cafes and restaurants provide their guests with free WiFi.
Post office
Postal traffic with Posta Moldovei to and from Moldova is subject to long delays, sometimes shipments are on the road for up to six weeks. It is best to send all correspondence by registered mail or international couriers. The Chisinau main post office is located at Stefan cel Mare 73. Opening hours: Mon-Sun 09.00-20.00.
Radio
Numerous German-speaking radio stations can be received in Moldova via Astra satellites or via the Internet.
