Employees of the Laudato si' Center at the "Listen to the East" lecture organized by the Renovabis Foundation

On October 28, staff members from the University Center *Laudato si’ for Christian Responsibility and Care for Creation, Associated Professor Zoran Turza and Gabrijela Bajić, participated in an online lecture series entitled Republika Moldova aktuell – Kirchen und Gesellschaft nach den Wahlen.”* This event was organized by the German Bishops’ Conference Foundation "Renovabis" as part of its lecture series “Listen to the East.”

The meeting brought together experts and church representatives to discuss the political and social situation in the Republic of Moldova following the parliamentary elections held at the end of September 2025. The discussion focused on the role of the Church and civil society amidst current political and economic challenges and the country’s prospects for joining the European Union.

Participants noted that Moldova continues to face significant social and economic difficulties. Despite the victory of the pro-European Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), led by President Maia Sandu, the political landscape remains unstable, characterized by ongoing tensions between pro-Russian and pro-Western factions. The country grapples with high poverty rates, youth migration, and rising living costs, while the war in Ukraine further exacerbates pressure on its security and social systems.

The panel featured Anton Coșa, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chișinău; Rev. Sergiu Aga, Priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church and Director of the organization “Filantropia Creștină” (“Christian Philanthropy”) in Orhei; and Corina Gîrla, Director of the Goethe-Zentrum in Chișinău. Theresa Grabinger, foreign aid officer at Malteser Hilfsdienst in Cologne, moderated the discussion.