Moldova: Environmental Crisis Deepens Amid Staff Shortage
There are currently over 200 environmental inspectors working across the country, according to officials in the field, but at least 287 are needed.
The distribution of inspectors is uneven, with most concentrated in Chisinau and Balti, while Basarabeasca has none. Most districts have only three inspectors active.
The Environmental Protection Inspectorate, led by Ion Bulmaga, is facing a significant staffing crisis. Over the past six years, the number of vacant positions in state institutions subject to a hiring freeze has grown by 13%, reaching over 15,000. Bulmaga attributes this crisis to low salaries, which are a major deterrent for potential inspectors. Out of the inspectorate's current 273 positions, nearly 100 are affected by the government's hiring freeze in public service. The salaries themselves, around 8,000 lei, are significantly lower than what their counterparts in Romania's National Environmental Guard earn.
Environmental expert Vlad Garaba identified additional challenges beyond staffing shortages. He highlighted issues like inadequate waste management and unauthorised deforestation by employees, which the inspectorate struggles to address due to its limited capacity. The inspectorate's work is currently hampered by both staff shortages and the inaction of its employees in tackling these critical environmental concerns.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
