Questions about Moldova

One of our short-term summer workers just returned home and she wrote and asked me some questions about Moldova. I will try to answer them here so everyone can benefit. Please be aware that I have not had time to do any great amount of research and what is not quoted from a website is just my own personal observations.

*What are the main occupations of the people that actually stay in Moldova to work? and what percent of them are working abroad?

Moldova is primarily an agricultural land and most of the people, in the villages at least, work the land and raise cows, goats and sheep. There are many vineyards in Moldova and wine production is one of the main industries. In the city many people sell stuff - all kinds of stuff, and more and more are involved in technological products. Most of the jobs available are for unskilled labour.
The salary offered for 58% of the jobs was lower than 1,500 lei. (about $150US/month) According to official statistics, the unemployment rate in the first quarter of this year was 5.5%, remaining practically at the same level as a year before. Approximately 67,000 people were out of work in Moldova on March 1, 2008.///REPORTER.MD

The percentage of people working abroad is quite incredible. From a UNICEF website:
RUBLENITA, Moldova, 17 October 2006 – At least 500,000 of Moldova’s 3.6 million people have left the country in search of work. Left behind are an estimated 150,000 to 270,000 children without either a mother or a father, and around 40,000 who are separated from both parents.
Some of these children live with relatives or neighbours, while others are left in the care of institutions.
http://www.unicef.org/videoaudio/ramfiles/6625h_moldovaabandonedchildren.ram

*Are there any facilities for the handicapped or disabled in Moldova that they might receive therapy?

On an earlier blog I recounted our visit to a facility for handicapped adults. I also know there are newer facilities in the city and organizations are seeking to work especially with children who have some type of disability. But I don't know much about these. However, generally speaking, Moldova is not well-equipped at all for the disabled. You rarely see a wheelchair and even so they would be hard to navigate over the roads and sidewalks that are poorly maintained. Many buildings do not have elevators and things just generally are not accessible.


*what has happened with the recent elections? has a new president been elected yet?

No, the parliament was not able to get the votes they needed to elect the communist candidate they wanted. So after several tries, they had to dissolve parliament and they will have to hold new elections. This is what was hoped for by the opposition and the thousands of protesters who gathered peacefully the day after the elections in April. So sometime this summer there will probably be another election.