Migration of the population of the Republic of Moldova in the context of the country’s prospects for joining the EU

Abstract

The Republic of Moldova is a small country that has recently become a labour resource donor to Russia and OECD countries due to declining living standards, economic issues, lack of social guarantees, and prospects within the country. The article analyses the consequences of citizen emigration for Moldova, focusing on its impact on demographics, socio-economic conditions, and the labour market, since 2014 when Moldova signed an agreement on a visa-free regime with the European Union and many residents of the country were able to freely cross the border and go to European Union countries in order to work. At the same time, special emphasis is placed in the article on the demographic problems that are currently being observed in the country. The authors note that Moldova's accession to the EU entails a demographic crisis due to the fact that young, educated and able-bodied people leave the country, fewer children are born in Moldova every year, the death rate in the country exceeds the birth rate, and the number of marriages is equated to the number of divorces. On the one hand, joining the EU will open up opportunities and broad horizons for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, but on the other hand, the same problems will remain, and therefore, will people want to develop and live in their country? In their study, the authors rely on statistical and sociological data, as well as analytical materials from the Republic of Moldova, OECD countries, UNHCR, etc.

Keywords

• republic of moldova
• european union
• population migration
• demography
• labor market
• socio-economic development
• demographic crisis