Moldova changes the designation of the capital's airport

Moldova will change the three-letter international abbreviation of Chisinau airport. This is part of a new policy of distancing itself from the Soviet heritage and dependence on the Russian language.

Reuters reports this with reference to the Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spinu. The new decision will come into force on January 18.

Soon, Chisinau airport will use the abbreviation RMO, which stands for the Republic of Moldova, rather than the Soviet designation KIV.

All airports have unique three-letter codes that can be seen when booking tickets, on flight schedules, on airport boards, and on baggage tags. The KIV code is based on the Russian spelling and pronunciation of the name of the country's capital. In the Romanian spelling, Chișinău, two of the three letters are missing. RMO is an abbreviation for "Republic of Moldova".

"Changing the abbreviation is a long process that lasts almost a year. The main goal is to remove the Russian name KIV and rid us of the Russian spandex," Reuters quoted Spinu as saying in an interview with the Moldovan TV channel Pro-Tv Chisinau.