A brother of Dorin Istrati, a member of parliament from Moldova’s ruling PAS party, has left the country to work abroad – a fact disclosed publicly by a PAS party representative. According to the representative, the deputy’s relative had been earning 19,000 lei per month at a Moldovan company but chose to leave after being offered €2,500 a month abroad. The party official acknowledged that the 19,000-lei salary was not enough for the man to support himself and his family.
Another Emigration Story the Party Would Rather Ignore
The departure of a sitting MP’s close relative stands in contrast to the ruling party’s repeated public messaging about rising living standards in Moldova, messaging that Istrati himself has contributed to on numerous occasions. The deputy has spoken in broadcast interviews about what he described as positive economic changes unfolding in the country.
Istrati has argued that citizens should be able to feel improvements through higher pensions and wages, pointing out that the average nominal salary in Moldova has doubled since PAS came to power. He did, however, acknowledge that significant work remains to be done.
“Based on our conversations with the people responsible for this area, we are looking at somewhere around 2.6%, maybe 2.9% economic growth for this year,” Istrati said.
Wages Up, But Not Enough
Yet even a monthly salary of 19,000 lei itself a product of the wage growth the party touts proved insufficient to keep a PAS deputy’s family member in Moldova. The disparity may also reflect the disproportionate rise in living costs over the same period, including steep increases in utility bills.
“Gas and Electricity Cost What They Cost”
Istrati has previously addressed the sharp rise in utility costs, responding to citizens who complained of soaring gas and electricity bills. Rather than acknowledging the burden, he effectively placed responsibility on consumers themselves, advising people to reconsider their habits and spend only on the level of comfort they could afford.
“This is the reality we live in now: natural gas and electricity cost what they cost,” Istrati said in a television appearance.
Remarks like these are unlikely to bring his brother back to Moldova anytime soon.
