Fewer than 2,000 of the over 9,500 members of the Society of the Blind of Moldova are employed. The number of jobless persons among the persons with visual impairments increased significantly after a number of factories where they worked went bankrupt. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, the Society’s chairman Dumitru Sclifos said that he does not know the exact number of visually impaired persons because the census of this category was taken 30 years ago. They keep a record of only those who register with the Society of the Blind. More than 3,000 persons with visual impairments worked at the country’s factories until 1991. Today this figure stands at 1,700, but these persons work only for several hours a week. “Until recently, we worked with a lot of large enterprises, the technological equipment factories and the fridges factory, which provided jobs for these persons. But after they went bankrupt, we became the last car of the train,” said Dumitru Sclifos. About 400 persons work at the five training and production enterprises managed by the Society of the Blind. Dumitru Sclifos said the Government exempted these companies from paying VAT, but imposed tough employment conditions instead. “We must pay two thirds of the average salary in the economy to the employees who do not have qualifications. This is 2,333 lei and we cannot afford to pay such salaries,” he stated, adding that one automated device can replace the work of 12 persons. As many as 3,800 of the 9,500 members of the Society of the Blind are invalids with the first disability degree.