The Republic of Moldova is facing a shortage of approximately 300,000 workers, a gap that keeps it below the minimum productivity level of the European Union, according to Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Eugeniu Osmochescu.
The official noted that around 30% of employed people work in the public sector, suggesting that part of this workforce could be redirected toward the private sector.
“If I were asked personally, I would say that it is too much, and we can redirect the workforce to the private sector,” Osmochescu stated.
He emphasized that the labor shortage affects all sectors of the economy, limiting growth and productivity.
“We, the Republic of Moldova, lack around 300,000 people to reach the minimum productivity level of the European Union,” the minister said.
Osmochescu compared the workforce to fuel for an economy, stressing its essential role.
“To have a car that runs, we need either gasoline, diesel, or an electric battery. For the economy, the workforce is this ‘fuel.’ Without it, we cannot move forward,” he explained.
In this context, authorities are also considering attracting workers from abroad if domestic resources prove insufficient. According to the minister, this process would take into account security considerations as well as social, ethnic, and religious factors, to ensure integration and public acceptance.