The young families in Moldova refuse to give birth to more children because they wait for better times, better-paid jobs and better living conditions, support from the state and also broader access to medical services of a high quality. Many decide to emigrate and settee in EU member states and Moldova is witnessing a serious demographic decline, said participants in the public hearings on the implementation of the National Strategic Demographic Security Program staged by the expert parliamentary commission, IPN reports.
“The decrease in the number of childbirths and the continuous emigration of the population to developed countries are the main causes for the demographic problem in our country. The number of newborns in 2016 was 36,600, while in 2017 – only 34,600. The diminution of the number of women of a reproductive age also influences the demographic decline. We also speak about the high death rate, short life expectancy, etc.” said the director of the Center of Demographic Research of the National Economic Research Institute Olga Gagauz.
The participants in the debate noted that in Moldova there are communities that do not have kindergartens because there not enough children who would attend them there. “There are about 1,450 early development institutions in the country and they are attended by approximately 150,000 children aged between one and six. But there are 15 communities without kindergartens because there are no children aged between zero and four there,” stated Mariana Goras, deputy head of the Preuniversity Education Division of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research.
Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection Svetlana Cebotari said Moldova during the last few years managed yet to make headway in fighting the demographic problem. “All the citizens of Moldova deserve to have a prosperous life and the Government its doing its best in this regard. There was launched the program “First House” that will motivate the young people to remain in the country. This program will be extended to cover the public functionaries and this will motivate the young people to work for state institutions. The pension system was modified and the one-time childbirth allowance was raised. The young mothers will receive that package of basic things needed for the baby while in the maternity hospital. There were worked out policies for the inclusion of persons with disabilities,” stated the minister.
At the end of the hearings, head of the Parliament’s commission on social protection, health and family Valentina Buliga requested all the participants to submit policy proposals designed to stop the demographic decline to the commission. “If we pursue an erroneous demographic policy, we will impose impossible tasks on the future generations. We must choose the most efficient reforms and policies that should be urgently implemented,” she noted.
According to the population census of 2014, Moldova has 2.8 million people, by almost 400,000 fewer than in 2004.
