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The United States and the West do not really provide financial support to the Republic of Moldova, but rather use its human capital, according to a narrative carried by the pro-Russian media in Chisinau.
NEWS: Moldova does not receive any real support from the United States and other so-called development partners, seen by some as the benefactors of our country, which is not the case.
[...] According to political scientist Serghei Banari, if the USA and the EU countries are Moldova's development partners, then it is not clear why our country is deteriorating by the year.
"It's very simple, because it's all a joke! There is no real American support for Moldova", the political scientist, economist and businessman stressed.
He also drew attention to the fact that many highly qualified specialists are leaving Moldova for the West, though the state has invested considerably in their training.
"If at least 50 thousand people leave to the West every year, then let's do the math. On average, a person with higher education, including in healthcare, who studied here, cost the state about 50 thousand dollars. Let's multiply 50 thousand people by 50 thousand dollars. Do the math and now multiply by the number of years. So, are they helping us or are we helping them? Are we using them or are they using us?" - asked Serghei Banari.
NARRATIVES: 1. The West does not provide real financial support to the Republic of Moldova. 2. The West actually uses the human capital of the Republic of Moldova.
LOCAL CONTEXT/ETHOS: The Republic of Moldova is considered one of the poorest countries in the Republic of Moldova, being constantly supported by Western structures and states for reforms and projects in various fields, or as budget support.
The country has been engaged in a process of integration into the European Union, especially in the last 15 years, which has periodically stagnated. With the victory of the pro-European forces in the presidential and parliamentary elections of 2020 and 2021, but especially after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, important steps have been taken in this direction. In March 2022, the Republic of Moldova submitted its application for EU membership, in June the same year it obtained the status of a candidate country, and in December 2023, the European Council decided to open accession negotiations.
Joining the EU is supported by around 60% of the population, according to polls. At the same time, some compact areas such as the autonomous region of Gagauzia, as well as certain population categories such as Russian-speaking minorities, vulnerable to Russian propaganda, are against European integration.
In the fall of this year, in the Republic of Moldova, at the initiative of President Maia Sandu, a referendum on EU accession is to be organized simultaneously with the presidential elections.
PURPOSE: To increase the number of Eurosceptics, by inoculating the idea that the Republic of Moldova does not receive any support from the West, which, on the contrary, uses its human capital.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: In recent years alone, the Republic of Moldova has received billions of euros from its Western partners as budget support or for targeted projects. In 2022 alone, the financial support for the Republic of Moldova amounted to around 1.4 billion Euro, of which approximately 20% for mitigating the energy crisis, according to a report by the Ministry of Finance. Of the total amount, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) allocated approximately 67 million euros.
The US assistance projects in the Republic of Moldova in the last 30 years have totaled some 2.5 billion dollars, according to the US ambassador to Chisinau, Kent Logsdon. About 30% of this amount has been awarded in the last two years. The USA has offered money to the Republic of Moldova in the form of budget support, to mitigate the consequences of the war in Ukraine and to fund reforms in certain areas, as well as infrastructure projects, such as the one for one of the most important routes in this country: Chișinău-Soroca.
In the last two years alone, the European Union has offered the Republic of Moldova financial support worth 1.2 billion euros, half of which in grants.
The statement that the West uses the human capital of the Republic of Moldova is also false, given that Moldovans, with few exceptions, do not even have the right to work in the EU and the USA. Qualified professionals, such as doctors, to whom the author of the statements refers, find employment in the EU usually on the basis of their Romanian identity documents, which also give them the status of European citizens. They go abroad in search of a better life and higher wages. So, it is not about using the Republic of Moldova as an "incubator" of professionals for the West. Migration affects most countries around the world.
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