The polling company IMAS in a news conference at IPN presented the results of the poll “Diaspora Barometer” that shows the opinions of Moldovans who live outside the country about economic and political issues. Some 76% of those who are abroad visit Moldova several times a year. More than half of the Moldovans from the diaspora speak daily with those who remained in Moldova, while 57% do not think that they will return home to live.
IMAS director Doru Petrutsi said this is the first poll in Moldova that covers the Moldovans from outside the country. The poll is representative of the adult population and has a margin of sampling error of plus-minus 4%. As many as 599 people were surveyed between February 17 and March 7, 2017. The data were collected online (by Skype, Viber) and by phone.
According to the poll, most of the Moldovans went abroad to work, with at least 3/4 of these working oversees. Of those who left the country, 39% have incomes lower than €1,000 a month, 30% have incomes ranging between €1,000 and €2,000 a month, while 15% earn over €2,000 monthly, stated Doru Petrutsi.
Some 80% of the Moldovans from the diaspora inform themselves mainly through social networking sites, about 65% thought news and information websites, while 62% from discussions with relatives, colleagues and family.
About 50% of the Moldovan citizens of the diaspora consider corruption is the biggest problem in Moldova. 30% mentioned the lack of jobs, 24% the political preferences of the population of Moldova, while 21% the low salaries and high prices.
The diaspora prefers such politicians as Maia Sandu, Andrei Nastase and Dorin Chirtoaca, with Renato Ustai, Mihai Ghimpu and Vlad Plahotniuc being the least favored.
Of those polled, 63% consider the current Government does not do reforms, while 24% consider the Filip Government does some reforms.
The Moldovans from the diaspora were also asked how they would like the MPs to be elected to Moldova’s Parliament. Some 51% of the respondents pleaded for the uninominal voting system, 21% for the mixed system, while 25% for the current system.
The poll was carried out based on a snowball sampling technique, while the contact data of those surveyed were collected from respondents, embassies and associations of Moldovans abroad.
