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Grozesti: The village divided by an international border

March 14, 2026

For more than 85 years, the village of Grozesti has been split between two countries: One part lies in Moldova, the other in Romania. What do the locals think about the ongoing separation?

https://p.dw.com/p/5AMIn

The village of Grozesti is divided between two countries: Moldova and Romania

The two parts of the village are located on opposite banks of the Prut River, which forms a large part of the border between the two nations. 

Grozesti's history is complicated. 

In June 1940, the Soviet Union annexed the region of Bessarabia, which was then part of Romania, splitting the village in two: One side stayed part of Romania, while the other became part of the Soviet Union. 

For more than 50 years, families and friends in the village were kept apart. When the Republic of Moldova declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, they were finally able to visit each other again without passports or permits. 

Nevertheless, the village still has an international border running through it.