The “European census” that started in Moldova scared the population
A general population census has begun in Moldova. About 4 thousand census takers will interview all residents of the country over three months and ask them dozens of questions - about identity, language, religion, work, education, movement abroad, disabilities, housing condition, etc. The data collected during the census will become the basis for state development projects.
The event will cost the country 244 million lei. Participation in the census is mandatory for every citizen. The Law on the Population and Housing Census states that refusal to provide information is an offense that will be punishable by a fine of up to 2,5 thousand lei.
In modern Moldovan history, there have been two population censuses – in 2004 and 2014. The latter is considered a failure – for example, in Chisinau, where the majority of the country's economically active population is concentrated, it covered only 59% of the population.
It is highly doubtful that the results will be better this time. In society - in social networks, in the press, in people's conversations - distrust in the census campaign that has begun is expressed. Many are confident that the authorities will use the new census data for some kind of fraud, possibly related to the upcoming elections.
Silly questions
Residents of the country immediately drew attention to a group of ridiculous survey questions from the section on housing. Here are some of them: “Were you in this home on the night of April 7-8, 2024?”; “How long were you absent from this home”; “Did you return to this home at least twice a month?”; “What was the reason for your absence from this home?”
This gave rise to a wave of indignation and caustic jokes.
Politician and member of the Civil Congress party, Zurab Todua, believes that the authorities are clearly pursuing goals beyond the census.
“People don’t believe in any good initiative of the PAS party,” he writes on social networks. – The published questionnaires for the upcoming population census cause nothing but bewilderment. The first impression is the interrogation of the suspect. The second is preparation for some unpleasant action. Judge for yourself. Where were you from 8 to 11? Where were you on the night from this to this April? What have you been doing?.. Are there any plans to move in the next 12 months?.. I beg your pardon, but why should I share my plans and personal information with anyone? Especially with this disrespected government?
"The RM census questionnaires raise only one question: who compiled them? Jokers or idiots? If they were jokers, they would have asked: does your wife/husband/children know where you were on the night of April 7-8, 2024? What were you doing on the night of April 7-8, 2024? Who can confirm that you did this on the night of April 7-8, 2024? But since there are no clarifying questions, it becomes clear: the questionnaires were compiled by idiots," journalist Sergei Tkach jokes.
Publicist and political scientist Victor Zhosu believes that the census organizers blindly copied the questionnaire from some Western model.
“Let me guess once: a Western grant was allocated for its development and, like, preparation for the census: seminars for future census takers, fees for Western so-called. experts and so on. A questionnaire from some Western European country, where liberal totalitarianism had long been established, was taken as a sample. The “Yellows” simply translated it into Romanian. Because they are real idiots, they are not capable of critically rethinking anything and adapting it to local conditions,” says Josu.
Journalist Elena Levitskaya-Pakhomova also noticed a “European trace” in the questionnaires.
“Do you want to look at the Romanian census questionnaires? They didn't go far. They don’t ask about “what he did at night and where,” but in general it’s similar,” she notes in her Telegram channel.
The meaning of the survey's strange items is unclear even to professionals. Doru Petrucci, CEO of the sociological company IMAS, told Noi.md that only the authors can explain their intentions.
“This is information that simply has no scientific value and does not say anything significant about the population. As a sociologist, it is difficult for me to understand the logic of such questions,” he said.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean criticized the public's response to the census questions. "The questions are well-formulated and meet current needs, so we can provide the authorities and businesses with the necessary information," he said at a cabinet meeting.
To help the cause of European integration
In his blog , scientist and politician Mark Tkachuk asks how "the idiots who devised and approved the questionnaire found each other in this world," how exactly "the clinical creations of select degenerates are transformed into a state policy roadmap," and why relatively intelligent people—in the guise of propagandists, journalists, and analysts—are suddenly starting to talk about reforms, the protection of freedoms, and democracy in this regard.
Media loyal to the authorities really talk about the census campaign as a means to improve life in the country and move closer to EU values and norms.
"How can we not mention our efforts towards European integration? The census can help shape policies and strategies that meet European Union standards and requirements. Understanding the situation will allow the government to implement necessary reforms in line with EU standards, based on the needs of the population, not the visions of individual politicians. Moreover, a population census conducted in accordance with Eurostat recommendations can not only increase trust in the Moldovan statistical system but also facilitate data analysis and comparison with other EU countries," journalist Daria Slobodchikova explains in a video review for NewsMaker.
By the way, there are very harsh comments on this publication.
“It would be better to take on the economy and not fool people. They need to know how many young people are left, and mobilize them into the army, send them to the war against the PMR,” “Personal data in electronic form is a commodity. You can sell databases to scammers. And this happens all the time. Participation in the “census” will cost more than any fines,” “Sandu wants to quickly record the personal data of living citizens and use this list to rig elections, so as not to get caught, like Biden, on the dead,” the publication’s subscribers note.
Possible election fraud
The opinion that Maia Sandu is conducting an audit of the electoral base before the elections with the aim of further rigging votes is heard at different levels.
Political scientist Anatolie Dirun explains that conducting a population census during a presidential election year in Moldova naturally draws attention to the event, since, in the electoral context, the census results for PAS represent "a huge array of personal data, which is of extreme interest in terms of clarifying the needs of its core electorate, as well as undecided voters."
“At the regional level, the census results make it possible to adjust the election campaign strategy and spend funds more efficiently on its implementation. The census is actually a large-scale social survey, the results of which also allow one to feel the trust – the distrust of citizens in the head of state and her idea of a European referendum,” the expert writes on social networks.
Be that as it may, there are too many questions about the census campaign. Journalist and political activist Dmytro Chubashenko notes that distrust of the census stems from distrust of the "state itself, captured by the Sandu regime."
“In general, the census is a very important and necessary event,” he notes in his Telegram channel. – According to the law, it is held once every 10 years on behalf of the state and in the interests of the state. Its results are used to understand what Moldova is like and for long-term planning of its development.
There are a lot of complaints about the questions of the current census and the way it is being conducted. Why such a question? Why such information? Why is this being done? Who will take advantage of this? How confidential is everything? Will the data from the questionnaires fall into the hands of the special services and the police?
The government that organizes the census did not bother to clearly explain its intentions to citizens and provide answers to questions that arise.
Modern Moldova is a state captured by the authoritarian and anti-democratic regime of President Maia Sandu and her PAS party. The majority of the population has no trust in this regime. Distrust of the government automatically transfers to everything that this government does. Including the population census. To achieve greater trust in the census, authorities should work to increase their own credibility. But the Sandu regime is by definition incapable of doing this,” sums up Chubashenko.
The "European census" that started in Moldova has frightened the population.