Over 60% of the population of the Republic of Moldova are not be ready to build any kind of relationships with LGBT+ people and people with HIV/AIDS. More than half of the population is not willing to accept them only as citizens of the country, not as family members, friends, neighbors or co-workers. Also, 46% of the citizens are not ready to have previously detained people by their side as neighbors. The figure is similar in the case of those who would are not ready to share their job with an ex-prisoner. There are also disapproving attitudes towards people of Muslim religion and Roma ethnicity, shows the "Social Distance" report presented on Tuesday by the Center “Partnership for Development” (CPD).
In a news conference hosted by IPN, Natalia Covrig, executive director of the CPD, said that the study presents an analysis of the level of acceptance of minority groups by the population of the Republic of Moldova (2024). According to her, social distance refers to the degree to which the population of the Republic of Moldova is predisposed to build social relations with different representatives of minority groups. Social relations mean friendship relationships, family relationships, work relationships or living together in the neighborhood, etc.
"We have two social groups that are most marginalized, rejected by the population of the Republic of Moldova. These are the LGBT+ group and the people living with HIV/AIDS. In the case of these people, the social distance index reaches the value of 3-4, which means that the attitude towards these groups is extremely negative," said Natalia Covrig.
The population of the Republic of Moldova can accept, at best, that the representatives of these groups are citizens of the country, members of society, but no more. They are not ready to build any kind of relationships with these.
The CPD director also said that there are other groups from which the distance is a little smaller, but anyway their representatives are in the rejection zone. These are people who were previously detained, Muslims, people who come from African regions and people of Roma ethnicity.
"So, we have four groups whose situation would seem a little better, the distance from these groups is slightly smaller, but they are still in the area where society rejects them. And these four groups are, in fact, in that area where Moldovan society would not accept them as family members, as friends or neighbors. However, the people would be relatively willing to accept them as co-workers," stated Natalia Covrig.
The study shows that negative trends in the case of five categories were recorded in 2024. In relation to them, the social distance increased and the population became colder. These are people of African origin, Jews, religious minorities, people with physical disabilities and people who do not speak the official language.
Note: IPN Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider that they were targeted in the news articles predicted based on the statements of the organizers of this press conference, including by facilitating the organization of another press conference under similar conditions.
