Small towns from both banks of the Nistru River have a sustainable development potential, but migration, population ageing and lack of jobs hinder the possibility to make the best use of it. This is the conclusion drawn by a group of researchers from both riverbanks, who have assessed the sustainable development potential of small towns from the Nistru River valley, IPN reports.
Localities with up to 50 thousand inhabitants were included in the analysis: nine towns from the right side of the Nistru River: Soroca, Floresti, Soldanesti, Rezina, Orhei, Criuleni, Anenii Noi, Stefan-Voda, Causeni, and six from the left bank - Camenca, Rybnitsa, Dubasari, Grigoriopol, Slobozia, and Dnestrovsc. The Transnistrian town Dnestrovsc has the biggest sustainable development potential due to its high industrial production, population incomes and living conditions indexes.
The reported data reveal that all the analyzed towns on the left bank and three towns on the right bank (Criuleni, Orhei, and Stefan-Voda) register a large demographic decline. This is explained by the constant decrease of birthrate, increase of mortality rate and population ageing index, especially in Dubasari, Dnestrovsc, and Camenca. The positive natural population growth registered in the majority of other small towns on the right bank represents a development potential that still may be effectively used.
According to the study, the biggest value of manufactured production per 1 inhabitant is registered in Criuleni, Rybnitsa, Rezina and Anenii Noi rayons (between USD 3,188 and USD 6,721), and the lowest production value is registered in Soldanesti and Camenca rayons (with USD 137 and, respectively, USD 339). The monthly average nominal salary per employee in the small towns from the Nistru River valley varies from USD 174 in Stefan Voda up to USD 337 in Rybnitsa. At the same time, the monthly average pension accounts from USD 52 in Soldanesti up to USD 118 in Dubasari and USD 121 in Rybnitsa.
The highest mortality rates, including caused by cancer, are registered in Camenca and Dubasari towns – that are 1.5 times higher than the average mortality rates for the Nistru valley’s small towns. At the same time, Rezina witnesses the highest infant mortality rate (18.6 cases per 1,000 live births). The highest rate of population’s access to natural gas facilities is registered in Anenii Noi, Criuleni, and Dnestrovsc (over 96%), while the inhabitants from Soldanesti, Camenca, and Stefan Voda are covered in the proportion of only 73-75%. On the other hand, the lowest rate of access to water pipes is registered in Soldanesti, Floresti, and Camenca.
The highest degree of pollutants’ emission into the atmospheric air from stationary sources is registered in Dnestrovsc, especially from the thermoelectric power plant, Rezina, and Rybnitsa.
The cooperation was organized in the framework of the EU-funded “Support to Confidence Building Measures” Program, implemented by UNDP.
