The number of persons who left the Republic of Moldova monthly in January-August this year, except for April and July, was higher than of persons who entered the country, said the General Border Police Inspectorate.
The difference between exists and entries oscillated between 6,000 and 61,000 crossings, the number in July being the highest, while in March the lowest. In April and July, the number of crossings to enter the country was higher than of crossings to leave the country by 29,000 and, respectively, 61,000.
Migration expert Mariana Yatsko stated for IPN that the presented data show the level of mobility of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova increased despite the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that a higher number of entries was recorded in April is due to the return home on Easter of the Moldovans working abroad. Also, the higher number of entries in July can be due to the return home of the Moldovans working aboard to spend the vacation here.
The expert said that the General Border Police Inspectorate does not desegregate the statistical data and does not show how many of those who cross the border settled abroad and now many are tourists who leave the country for a short period of time and it is hard to draw conclusions as to the effects of the increased mobility on the demographic state of the Republic of Moldova.
“It is important to see the identification papers of what states are used to cross the border,” stated Mariana Yatsko. According to her, some of the Moldovans who have a job outside the country and settled abroad no longer return home and this fact should not be overlooked. “It primarily goes to the Moldovans who started to migrate in the 1990s and in the 2000s. After the closest persons, the parents, pass away, some of those nationals no longer have stimuli to return to the Republic of Moldova.”
The head of the Public Relations Division of the General Border Police Inspectorate Raisa Novitski has told IPN that the information about the crossings of the border is available on the institution’s website in the section “Situation on border”, on each day apart. On request, the Inspectorate can provide a general synthesis for each month.
