Expert: Demographic crisis and excessive migration – the main causes of population decline in the Republic of Moldova
The Republic of Moldova is among the top 10 countries in the world that are depopulating, with a continuous population decline. Demographer Valeriu Sainsus claims that the main factors contributing to this phenomenon are the demographic crisis and excessive migration.
“The demographic crisis is because the number of births is lower than the number of deaths, which leads to a decrease in the population and a lack of demographic growth. Another significant factor is excessive migration, which reduces the country’s demographic and economic potential,” Valeriu Sainsus said on the “Zi de zi” program on Radio Moldova.
Regarding the current demographic structure, Sainsus noted that the preliminary data of the 2024 Census indicate an increasingly aging society, which requires the adoption of specific measures to support this vulnerable category of the population. “The census allows us to develop coherent demographic policies that reflect the reality of the country and the current socio-economic conditions,” said the expert.
Although the population of the Republic of Moldova has decreased in the last decade, Sainsus noticed a significant increase in urbanization, a phenomenon that, according to him, is largely due to the rural population emigrating to cities.
The expert noted that despite this trend, the Republic of Moldova still needs effective mechanisms to support the development of the human factor. According to him, the integration of our country into the European Union will help mitigate excessive migration, since economic and social differences will be much smaller: "In the context of the integration of the Republic of Moldova into the EU, excessive migration will be significantly mitigated," he concluded.
The number of the population with habitual residence in the Republic of Moldova has decreased by 13.9% over 10 years. Thus, almost 400 thousand people have disappeared from the Republic of Moldova during this period. These are the preliminary data of the 2024 Census, presented today. The figures show that in 2024 there were about 2.4 million in our country, while in 2014 - almost 2.7 million.
