Demographer: Moldova Has Lost Two Generations Because of the Mass Departure of Citizens Abroad

Moldova has already lost 2 generations due to the mass departure of its citizens abroad, demographer Valeriu Sainsus said during the programme “În Context” on public television. According to the specialist, almost half of those travelling abroad are young people under 35, and only one in ten returns to the country. “The demographic realities are sad in the sense that every year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, more than ten thousand people leave our country. We realize that we also have a lot of temporary migrants - from a few months to a year. Through migration we understand that we have lost 2 generations. A significant part of them is at the family integration stage, which means that most families settle in their new place of residence,” said Valeriu Sainsus. The citizens who settled abroad and returned to live in Moldova will have a range of benefits, including assistance in finding jobs and starting businesses. These measures are part of a national programme on the promotion of the return to the homeland and the integration of Moldovan citizens into the society, approved by the executive branch. Its main goal is to create European living conditions that will motivate citizens who left abroad to return home, Government Secretary General Artur Mija emphasized. “We seek to support citizens who decided to return to Moldova. We will find solutions to the problems they face in the return process. We will provide the necessary support on the labor market, facilitate access to medical, social and educational services. We will also support them to start businesses and use the diaspora’s experience for the modernization and economic development of our country. The programme includes an action plan defining medium-term goals and activities to be implemented at local and national levels,” concluded Artur Mija. The programme will last for 5 years, and the activities outlined in it will be reviewed after 3 years and adapted to the needs of the returnees and their families. Over the last year, the population of the Republic of Moldova decreased by more than 52,000 people.