Moldova's young people at a crossroads - Between Russia and the EU | DW Documentary

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 08:13:58 +0000

Moldova - a small country caught between East and West, between Russia and the EU. Many young people are torn between staying and leaving, resignation and activism. On September 28, they will cast their vote for which path their country will take.

Bordered by EU-member Romania on the west and Ukraine to the north and east, Moldova is Europe’s poorest nation. Jobs are scarce, and especially the young struggle with a lack of prospects. The documentary follows three young Moldovans who respond in very different ways to the challenges their country faces more than 30 years after independence from the Soviet Union.
Ana Popa spent years abroad but made a conscious choice to return home. Determined to make a difference, she organizes protest bike rides and marches, and campaigns to strengthen civil society in Moldava.

Andrei Morari, by contrast, has become resigned towards politics. He grew up in Transnistria, a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and the Ukrainian border. Transnistria longs for independence and receives support from Russia. The conflict has remained "frozen" since a short military conflict in 1992. The divide between Transnistria and the rest of Moldova runs deep. Andrei refused military service and is therefore barred from going back to his native Transnistria. But he sees no future for himself in the capital, Chișinău, either. Distrustful of all politicians, he won’t be casting his vote at the end of September - instead, he plans to leave the country as soon as he can.
Veaceslav Sclifos, aka DJ Wenzel, wants to stay. He's passionate about music and dreams of building a techno scene in his small hometown of Criuleni. Everyone in the area knows him as DJ Wenzel. Yet he is also struggling to make a living. His village is on the brink of extinction. Many young people have left, pushed away by the lack of jobs and uncertain futures.

The documentary captures the dilemmas facing Moldova's youth - as well as their search for creative ways to build a future in their native country.

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