Ionita: 60% of Moldova’s Population Are Poor, Only 15% Belong to the Middle Class

According to economist Veaceslav Ionita, the current situation places a serious burden on the state, which lacks the resources to support such a large number of people in need of assistance. According to Ionita, Moldova has a significant gap between people on low incomes and those with sufficient financial means to maintain a decent standard of living, locals.md reports, citing bani.md. The economist notes that approximately 20% of citizens consider themselves members of the middle class. However, when their situation is assessed in terms of actual income and financial stability, only around 15% can be placed in this category. This points to a discrepancy between people's subjective perception of their financial standing and their actual economic means. At the other end of the social scale are wealthier citizens. According to the expert’s estimates, approximately 4% of the population can be considered rich, while just 1% are very wealthy. Ionita believes that in a stable economy, poor and extremely poor people should account for around 20% of the population, while a sizeable middle class should form the backbone of society. In Moldova, however, the situation is almost the opposite, with a substantial share of the population remaining financially vulnerable. “Helping 20% of the population is one thing, but helping 60% is quite another,” the economist stressed, explaining the difficulties the state faces in providing social assistance to such a large number of people in need. In Ionita’s view, the problem lies not only in the amount of social benefits but also in the structure of the economy itself. When the middle class is small, fewer people have stable incomes that enable them to sustain consumption, build savings and invest in development. At the same time, a large number of low-income citizens increases demand for government assistance. More and more families need support to cover everyday expenses and meet their basic needs. Thus, one of Moldova’s key challenges, according to the expert, is not only to reduce poverty but also to expand the middle class. This would enable more citizens to support themselves through their own income rather than depend on state benefits.