OREANDA-NEWS  On 24 February was announced, that in the study carried out by the Legatun Institute (Dubai) Research Institute in 104 countries, Moldova took its place between Honduras and Pakistan. Australia, Austria and Finland topped the rating and Yemen closed it. Moldova’s neighbors Romania and Ukraine too the 47th and 68th place, respectively. Life of residents of Estonia (36th place), Latvia (41st), Kazakhstan (56th), Russia (57th), Belarus (78th), Uzbekistan (80th) is most favorable among the post-Soviet states. The study marks the high education level and low unemployment level among Moldova’s positive results, However, despite this, the number of registered patents is low and working citizens don’t earn salaries that would satisfy them. The study also reads that in Moldova, the poorest country of Europe with the incomes level of USD 3 thousand per man, there is political instability and inefficient management keeping investors away and preventing economic growth.

The state continues playing a dominant role and economy with privatization moving slowly. At the same time, the study points out a big number of documents (20) needed for establishing an enterprise, high costs (without taking into account salaries) for keeping workers and tough workdays’ schedule. Foreign investments face bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption and weakness of state institutions. As a result, the total amount of direct foreign investments hardly exceeds USD 1 billion. Development of the more open economy is blocked by tense political relations that, for instance, resulted in reduction in wine export to Russia – Moldova’s main market. Development of the more open economy is also prevented by the Transnistrian problem. At the same time, the degree of dependence on foreign aid making up 2 percent of the GDP is higher than in any other European country.

According to the study, the migration level of 34 percent is the highest in the region and the cold climate aggravates homeless people’s problems. Public health is called the key concern. The state annually allocates less than USD 200 per man for health care with 43 percent of population stating they aren’t satisfied with their health. HIV spread in Moldova is the highest in the region. Almost 20 percent of citizens smoke and 10 percent don’t get enough to eat. As a result, the average lifetime in Moldova is less than 60 years with the number of population going down.