The absence of a strong political will on the part of the government is the key obstacle hindering Moldova from making progress on the path to European integration, consider over 27% of the Moldovans. At the same time, 21% of the Moldovans think that the shortage of financial resources is the key problem, while 12% said this about the reduced administrative capacities.

Such data are contained in a report on the public perception of the European integration process and the implementation of the EU-Moldova Plan of Action that was made public in Chisinau on May 23.

Some 79.9% of the respondents consider that Moldova would come closer to the EU if the public administration included younger and competent persons. For 79% the solution would be to conscientiously implement the laws and observe the European norms, for 74.3% - to improve the relations with Romania and for 73.9% - to eradicate corruption and to improve the governance.

64% of the Moldovans think the present generation of politicians should be changed and the schools should teach courses on the European Union.

If Moldova joined the EU, more than 41% of the respondents would not leave the country, 39% would go aboard to live for only a period, while 13% would go abroad anyway. 82.4% of the respondents consider that if Moldova became part of the EU, the country’s economic potential would increase, while 81% consider that the people would move much freer. Among other advantages of the European integration are the rise in foreign investment (80% of the respondents), the increase in the number of workplaces (79.9%) and in incomes (78%).

The report was drawn up by the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “IDIS Viitorul”, with the participation of the sociological company CBS-AXA and with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), through Eurasia Foundation.

The survey was carried out between February and March 2008 on a sample of 1,083 people older than 18 from 12 geographic regions of Moldova. The margin of sampling error is 3% // Reporter.MD


Publication date: 23 May 2008   

Source:

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