The depopulation is the key problem experienced by the Republic of Moldova. During 26 years of independence, the country’s population declined from over 4 million to almost 3 million. The most pessimistic forecasts show in 2035 Moldova will have fewer than 2 million people, President Igor Dodon stated in the talk show Moldova 1, IPN reports.

According to President Dodon, if no changes are made during the next few years, Moldova will remain mainly with pensioners and there will not be active people who could contribute to pensions. All the state institutions should combine forces to deal with this problem. “First of all, we should motivate the people not to leave the country. We should at least stop the exodus. We should create jobs at the internal level. If we don’t do it, regardless of the political force in power, we will remain a territory without population. We should deal first with this, not with the integration. We must motivate the Moldovans to remain in the country,” he stated.

Asked about the unionist current in Moldova, Igor Dodon said this is more dangerous than separatism as it pleads for the liquidation of the state by the union with Romania. The unionism also fuels the Transnistrian conflict. The chanting of unionist slogans in Chisinau was one of the causes that led to the appearance of this conflict.

As to the elections that will take place in Moldova this year, the President said the Socialists have real chances of winning both the May 20 mayoral elections in Chisinau and Balti municipalities and the parliamentary elections of this autumn.