Opinion poll shows Moldovans mostly concerned about poverty, low salaries, pensions

Chisinau, 3 October /MOLDPRES/ - The low salaries and pensions, high prices and poverty are the biggest problems faced by the Moldovans. An opinion poll conducted by the CBS-AXA Centre of Sociological Investigations and Marketing, at an order by the Viitorul (Future) Institute, shows that 56.9 per cent of the respondents say the low salaries and pensions is the problem they are mostly concerned about.      
A number of 1,109 persons answered the opinion poll titled, Life Quality – Social Problems, taken on 9-20 September, with an error margin of +/-2.8 per cent. The findings of the polls were unveiled at a news conference today.   
Asked “What are the problems you and the members of your family are facing at present,” 50.3 per cent of the respondents said that were worried about high prices, poverty is the biggest problem for 37.3 per cent of the participants in the poll, corruption – for 29.1 and unemployment – for 24.7 per cent. Diseases represent a problem for 15.9 per cent of the respondents and Moldovans’ leaving abroad is a concern for 15.4 per cent of the respondents.         
According to the opinion poll, 27.6 per cent of the respondents said they were not at all contented with the living standards. Also, asked “In general, are you contented or not with the living you lead?”, 30.4 per cent of the respondents said they are not quite contented, 25 per cent were satisfied with their situation, while 15.1 per cent said they are pretty contented with the life they lead and 1.5 per cent are quite satisfied.   
Over 56 per cent of the respondents said the people from Moldova live much worse or worse against five years ago and only 11.8 per cent said they live better or much better.  
Asked “How much a salary of an employee should be, so that he/she does not have to leave abroad”, 1.1 per cent said that the wage should be under 3,000 lei, 8.1 per cent – between 3,001 and 5,000 lei, 44.3 per cent – between 5,000 and 10.000 lei, 31.6 per cent said that the salary must be of 10,001-15,000 lei, 8.1 per cent – between 15,001-20,000 lei.  
The opinion poll also shows that 13.7 per cent of the respondents said that they receive the salary “in envelope”, 9.5 per cent – a part of the salary – officially, and another part – “in envelope”, while 69.9 per cent receive all their salary officially.  
More than 84 per cent of the respondents believe that the pension people receive in Moldova does not cover the necessary sum for consumption in a household and 73.3 per cent said the salary is not enough to ensure a decent living.    
(Reporter V. Bercu, editor A. Raileanu)