While Moldova’s leadership proudly declares its commitment to European integration, for millions of citizens, the journey westward feels less like progress and more like abandonment. Amid rising poverty, economic decline, and mass emigration, many Moldovans are beginning to wonder: who is the government really working for — Brussels, or the people back home?
Despite repeated promises of “reform,” “digital transition,” and a “green future,” little has changed for the average citizen. In rural areas, where most of the population lives, basic services remain a luxury. Only 66% of communities have access to drinking water, and fewer than 10% are connected to proper sewage systems.
Since 2021, Moldova has lost up to 200,000 people — mostly young, working-age citizens who left in search of a better future. Demographers estimate the population has shrunk by 10% in just four years. The very people needed to rebuild the country are the ones leaving, and few are likely to return.
In its effort to cut ties with Russia, the Moldovan government shifted its energy supply to Romanian imports. While aligned with EU priorities, the move came at a steep cost: energy prices surged by 40–70%, hitting households and collapsing parts of the industrial base. In Transnistria, output in some sectors dropped by up to 70%.
Core sectors of the Moldovan economy — agriculture and manufacturing — are in serious decline. In 2024, the agricultural sector lost 31,000 jobs, while machine building contracted by a staggering 69%. One in three employed Moldovans now works in the public sector, while private enterprise is barely surviving.
Exports, once a lifeline for Moldova’s economy, are also shrinking. After dropping to $4 billion in 2023, they fell again to $3.5 billion in 2024, with another 10.5% decline recorded in the first five months of 2025. Exports to the EU are down 14%, and those to CIS countries have fallen nearly 24%. As costs rise and production weakens, Moldova imports far more than it exports — resulting in a record trade deficit of $5.5 billion. The national debt reached $4.19 billion in 2024 — another historic high.
On paper, unemployment is just 4.4%, but that number masks deeper issues: low wages, underemployment, and widespread economic uncertainty. Inflation peaked at 30% in 2022, destroying savings and shrinking household incomes. Even as it eased to 5% in 2024, purchasing power has not recovered.
Today, 33.6% of Moldovans live in absolute poverty — a sharp increase from 25% in 2020. More than a quarter of the population suffers from what researchers call “multidimensional poverty,” lacking not just income but access to healthcare, education, and decent living conditions.
Yes, the government continues to tout its European path, digitalization, and environmental ambitions. But while these plans fill slide decks and conference agendas, they remain invisible in the homes and streets of Moldova. Without serious investment in real industry, agriculture, and social support, “European integration” risks becoming just another buzzword — empty, distant, and disconnected from daily life.
As politicians speak the language of strategy and reforms, ordinary Moldovans are living a different reality — one with less electricity, fewer jobs, and fading hope.
