Alinierea politicilor economice ale Republicii Moldova la practicile bune ale statelor europene vecine

The main goal of this paper is to assess the economic vulnerabilities of the Republic of Moldova at the macro level and to formulate policy proposals for sustainable economic development, taking into account the European path of our country and the relevant experience of European countries. Based on a comparative research method, the paper highlights the differences between the policies of the Republic of Moldova and those of neighboring European countries, particularly regarding indicators of economic stability in crisis situations. A great accent is put on analyzing data between the global crisis of 2009 and the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), identifying the economic vulnerabilities of the Republic of Moldova, such as pro-cyclical fiscal policy, low public revenues, a consumption-based economic model, low investments, a shrinking workforce, and exchange rate instability during crises. Additionally, it highlights the differences between the policies of the Republic of Moldova and those of neighboring European countries, such as Poland and Bulgaria, in terms of economic stability indicators during crisis situations. Research demonstrates a strong correlation between the economic growth of Poland and the EU in the pre-accession period. The paper identifies the key areas for sustainable economic development: modernization of the economic structure, counter-cyclical fiscal policy, increasing public revenues, enhancing public services, boosting public investments, developing private pension funds, and promoting financial education. It raises the question, „What should national policies contain?” to ensure sustainable economic development of the Moldovan economy, taking into account the experiences of new EU member states in implementing modern IT systems and digitizing tax administration. If these policies are applied in the first decade following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Republic of Moldova can transition from a consumption-based economic model to a sustainable investment-oriented one.