02.04.2021, Chisinau – More than three years after the start of the authentication of the study documents issued by "Taras Shevchenko" University from Tiraspol, 407 diplomas were authenticated bound for Italy (89), USA (56), Bulgaria (48), Israel (35), Poland (32), France (28) and other states, according to the model containing neutral elements and agreed in the negotiation process. 

We would like to remind that in order to fulfill the commitments agreed under the Protocol Decision of 25 November 2017 "On the application of the apostille on the study documents issued in the Transnistrian region", the necessary normative framework was established for the authentication of neutral model study documents issued by "Taras Shevchenko" University from Tiraspol through the Government Decision no.138 of 7 February 2018 "On completing point 9 of Regulation on the application of the apostille" and through the Order of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research no.120 of 6 February 2018.

The implementation of this mechanism started on 20 March 2018 with the submission of the first study certificate issued by "Taras Shevchenko" University to the Apostille Department of the Ministry of Justice. The most active dynamic of the authentication process was marked until April 2019 (240 diplomas), then the tempo decreased (by April 2020 - 378 diplomas authenticated in total, and respectively by April 2021 - 407 diplomas in total). 

Thus, an uninterrupted functionality of the commitments agreed under the Protocol Decision of 25 November 2017 is ensured, offering the possibility to the diploma holders to continue their studies and to engage in the work field abroad. 

It is important to note that the authentication procedure does not refer to the equivalence of the neutral diplomas with those issued in accordance with all the educational requirements established by the national framework in force. It is rather a formality attesting the validity of the signature, the quality in which the signatory of the document acted, the authenticity of the seal and the stamp of the document. The apostille is applied on a predetermined sample, which can subsequently be used in the states that are party to the Hague Convention of 5 October 1961 on the suppression of re-legalization requirement of foreign official documents, in states that have not declared any restrictions to it, or in certain states that did not express restrictions to some categories of documents issued on the territories of other states.

All the efforts of the authorities of the Republic of Moldova are directed towards reintegrating a single educational space and provide chances for the young scholars to increase their potential and performances on the entire territory of the country and in the European countries as well.