Moldova to conduct census no later than 2014

Moldova should take strong action in order to successfully conduct the census until 2014. This is the message UNFPA in Moldova expresses in connection with the World Population Day, traditionally celebrated on July 11. UNFPA Assistant Representative in Moldova Boris Gilca told a news conference on Friday that, according to UN and EUROSTAT’s recommendations, the period between national censuses should not exceed 10 years. Since Moldova conducted its last census in October 2004, the next census in Moldova should be held no later than 2014, which is also the limit year in the current round of global censuses (2005-2014). Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Valentina Buliga explained at the same conference that census data are crucial for service planning in education, medicine, public transport, for developing policies based on forecasts of population and for evaluation of their effectiveness. “Counting all family members during census helps them to benefit from better social services: quality education for young people, jobs for adults and better health services for the elderly”, said Valentina Buliga. Lucia Spoiala, director of the National Bureau of Statistics, informed that the 2004 census had a budget of $3 million, approximately 1 dollar per person, whereas the 2014 census will require $5.5 million. By the end of 2014, when the current round of censuses will be ended, it is expected that 98.4% of the world will have gone through this process. UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, is the leading international development agency that supports global census and calls decision makers in Moldova to expedite planning and conducting of the census.