The information campaign against the census overrides all efforts to promote and explain its importance for the social and economic development of Moldova for the next 10 years.
Participants of the Economic Press Club expressed this opinion on the topic "The value of the 2024 census results for the development of economy and society" at a meeting organized in partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), with the support of the International Organization for Migration. The meeting discussed various aspects of the Population and Housing Census 2024 and the importance of this statistical study for complementing the existing statistical studies and for the development of state policies in financial, economic, tourism, educational and other fields. The discussions were attended by the management of the National Bureau of Statistics, representatives of the UN offices in Moldova (UNPFA, UNHCR), IOM, Expert-Grup, IDIS Viitorul, CBS-AXA, scientists, demographers, journalists. Special attention was paid to the public perception of some sensitive aspects of the census, such as personal data disclosure, ethnic identification, language issue, as well as myths and fakes that are spread, including intentionally. NBS Director Oleg Cara said that according to Moldovan legislation, the National Bureau of Statistics is obliged to guarantee the security of all statistical studies, not only census data. The use of the citizen's identification code when filling in the questionnaire is necessary only to avoid duplication of data and to ensure the quality of the research. At the same time, all the data immediately after the completion of the survey are transmitted to the NBS server in encrypted form, they are depersonalized. At the same time, opinions were expressed at the meeting that the advertising campaign to promote the census was not large enough. However, the NBS representatives and experts noted that the information campaign covers both TV, radio, outdoor advertising, and Internet promotion, explanatory spots are distributed, and a campaign to debunk myths about the census is realized, and the issue is probably that the campaign against the census, including with elements of misinformation, is larger in scale. During the discussions, there were expressed opinions that the state should have a state order to publish information of state importance, such as the census, in the media; it was noted that risks in connection with identification data are too inflated, as they are requested everywhere; fears about the state obtaining additional data for taxation are a fake, etc. In addition, the focus was on hypothetical census results - how they might affect investment decisions in Moldova or how the results might affect the design of training programs based on the main language of communication in a region. "Demographic trends in Moldova are no secret - we have a fairly extensive research base that the population is aging and shrinking. But the census allows us to take a snapshot of the situation for 2024, including some aspects that are absent in statistical studies," said demographer Olga Gagauz. It should be reminded that the National Population and Housing Census in Moldova is held from April 8 to July 7. The state budget for 2024 provides 244.3 million lei for the census organization and conduct. The EU and the UN Population Fund have provided the National Bureau of Statistics with digital equipment worth about 800 thousand euros - for the first time census data are registered in digital form at once. During the first 3 weeks, the census covered 699 thousand households and more than 1 million inhabitants. Preliminary results will be presented at the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025. // 30.04.2024 - InfoMarket.
