Comparative analysis of the economic inequality level in the Republic of Moldova and in EU countries

Abstract

One of the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic is the deepening of economic inequality between different population groups, existing in smaller proportions in the pre-pandemic period. The rise in inequality is rightly called the "second pandemic". To demonstrate this trend, a comparative research was conducted between the Republic of Moldova and EU countries. As a basic research method in the article was the comparative analysis of a series of indicators on economic inequalities of the population. Such inequality indicators such as the Gini Index and other indicators have been used for this purpose. The main data sources are the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova and Eurostat. The comparative analysis that was carried out highlighted the increase of economic inequalities among the population, more accentuated in the Republic of Moldova than in the European Union countries, which were deepened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures associated with it.