These projections were presented in the World Bank’s April Europe and Central Asia Economic Update.
Experts note that growth rates are affected by the consequences of geopolitical instability and the crisis in the Middle East, which affect foreign trade and investment.
Recovery conditions will appear later. The acceleration of growth to 3.8% in 2027 is associated with the implementation of structural reforms and the utilization of EU funds within the Growth Plan for Moldova. with a budget of 1.9 billion euros, payments under which are directly linked to the implementation of specific stages of reforms.
The WB notes that the 3.8% forecast remains vulnerable to external shocks. The main threats are geopolitical instability, a possible increase in energy prices and climate shocks that hit agriculture hard.
There is also a slowdown in the region
In 2026, economic growth in the developing countries of Europe and Central Asia (ECA) is expected to slow down to 2.1% overall. Growth in Russia is projected to slow to 0.8%, while growth in the rest of the region is likely to fall to 2.9% as rising energy prices curb consumption and uncertainty weighs on investment.
“The region’s resilience continues to be tested as a number of countries depend on imports of natural gas, oil and fertilizers,” said Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice President for the Europe and Central Asia region.
According to her, efforts will be needed in many countries to overcome the consequences of the crisis, while special attention should be paid to targeted support for the most vulnerable segments of the population. Continued economic policy reforms aimed at ensuring enterprise growth and job creation will also help mitigate the effects of the crisis and increase the resilience and dynamism of economies.
