The environment situation in Moldova is critical, consider leaders of rural environmental NGOs that participated in a study titled “Environmental Priorities in Rural NGOs’ View”. The respondents consider that waste management is the most serious environmental problem. The results of the study were presented at a news conference held at Info-Prim Neo Agency on May 20. The protection of air and subsoil is considered a less important problem, said Vladimir Garaba, expert of the project and head of the Chisinau office of the Ecologist Movement of Moldova, quoting the study. Asked how the environment situation has changed in recent times, over half (53%) of the respondents said it has changed to the better, one third (34%) said it hasn’t changed, while 12% consider it became worse. Those that said the situation has improved praised in fact themselves as they consider that the projects they implemented during the last 2-3 years contributed to the improvement of the situation, Garaba explained. Later, practically all of them admitted that the situation has worsened, he added. The management of waste, especially plastic waste, is the major problem in rural areas, the respondents believe. About 90% of the wells in villages are polluted. Therefore, the NGO leaders are concerned about the condition of water as well, Garaba said. Those questioned said that the Government did not contribute to the implementation of environmental projects. “The leaders of rural NGOs consider that environmental protection is rather a declared priority than real facts.” Vladimir Garaba also said that they will submit the results of the study to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and will demand that the adoption and implementation of draft laws that wait to be examined is hastened. The study was carried out by the Public Association “Green Future” between December 2008 and March 2009, with financial support from UNDP Moldova. It covered about 100 settlements from 20 Moldovan districts. Most of the surveyed NGOs deal with water use and protection. Waste management is their second priority.