Almost half of Moldovans surveyed say they have little or no confidence in how public money is managed, underscoring the political and economic cost of weak trust in the state’s finances.
Moldova survey finds low confidence in public spending
The new barometer, presented by FINEDU Moldova with the finance ministry, found that 48% of respondents rated their confidence in public financial management as low or nonexistent. For a country trying to convince households, businesses and donors that tax revenue is being used well, that matters as much as the balance sheet itself. Trust is what makes reform stick: when citizens believe money is wasted, compliance weakens, reform gets harder and the case for higher taxes or borrowing becomes more fragile.
Sentiment Indicators
That is why the survey’s findings should be read as an economic signal, not just a public opinion snapshot. Respondents said confidence would improve most with better transparency, cited by 63%, followed by more efficient spending at 53% and clearer results from public expenditure at 45%. More than 60% also said digitalization helps public finance management, suggesting Moldovans are not rejecting the system outright — they are asking for proof that it works. In other words, the problem is less about the idea of public spending than the credibility of how it is executed.
For policymakers, that creates a straightforward but demanding agenda. The finance ministry says it is trying to communicate more openly about how public funds are managed, and that is the right instinct. But transparency only buys time if it is matched by visible outcomes: better infrastructure, stronger public services and cleaner budget execution. Without that, skepticism can harden into a structural drag on confidence in the state, which eventually affects everything from fiscal discipline to the willingness of investors to back local projects.
The data should be treated carefully. The survey was online and included just 178 respondents, most from Chișinău and the central region, so it is not a full national referendum on public finances. Still, as a first attempt to measure trust in fiscal management, it offers a useful benchmark. The broader message is simple: Moldova’s public finance challenge is not only how much it spends, but whether people believe the money is working.
For long-term investors, that distinction matters. Countries that improve fiscal credibility usually find it easier to attract capital, maintain stable borrowing costs and support private-sector growth. Moldova is not there yet, but this kind of measurement is a step toward accountability. If the government can pair better disclosure with better spending outcomes, trust can recover gradually — and that is worth watching.
| Entity | Gains | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Moldova’s finance ministry | ▲Chance to improve credibility | ▼Pressure over weak trust |
| Citizens and taxpayers | ▲Better transparency if reforms work | ▼Confidence in public spending |
| Investors and lenders | ▲Clearer fiscal signals over time | ▼Higher risk premium if skepticism persists |
| Public-service beneficiaries | ▲Potentially better spending outcomes | ▼Inefficient budget use |