“Where’s the money?” – through Moldova in search of European investments – 10 stops, real projects, and community stories –
“Where’s the money?” It’s a question we often hear when discussing the support provided to the Republic of Moldova by the European Union (EU). This time, the answer is being sought directly on the ground—not in reports or presentations, but in the districts, towns, and villages of the country, in local businesses and initiatives, and above all, in the stories of people who can show what has changed in their communities with this support.
Between September and October 2026, the European Union Information Centre, Europe Café, is launching the “Where’s the money?” campaign, which will reach 9 districts and 1 municipality: Hîncești, Telenești, Orhei, Rezina, Briceni, Călărași, Florești, Cimișlia, UTA Gagauzia, and Bălți. Content creators, artists, and local voices will set out across the country to discover projects and initiatives supported by the European Union, talk with beneficiaries, and show, simply and concretely, where and how European support is visible in daily life. Thus, the question “Where’s the money?” receives an answer through what can be seen and verified on the ground—concrete projects, experiences, and the stories of the people and communities that have benefited from EU support.
“Through ‘Where’s the money?’ we want to bring the European Union’s support closer to people and make it easy to understand. We aren’t just saying that European investments exist, but we are inviting people to discover them wherever they produce real change. It is a campaign about transparency, about results that can be seen, and about the people who can best tell what impact these investments have had in their communities,” says Ina Prisăcaru, communication campaign manager at the Strategic Communication and Media Support Project.
Who is setting out in search of the money?
At the center of the journey will be content creators Doina Danielean, Alexandru Ghețan, and Dumitru Leontiev, who will go on the ground, ask questions, and bring community stories closer to the public. They will be joined by artists Gabriel Nebunu, Mariana Mihăilă, Maria Iliuț, and Vitalie Manjul, as well as local artists.
Alexandru Ghețan, content creator: “I accepted the invitation to be part of this campaign because I liked the idea behind it: the European Union isn’t talking about its own support, but rather we are going into communities, talking with people, and seeing together what has concretely changed.”
Gabriel Nebunu, artist: “I am glad that I will reach three regions and that, together with the people there, we will discover where the European Union’s investments can be seen. I am from Cahul and I see every time how much the city and the surrounding villages have changed. When you see the change with your own eyes, you best understand what European support means.”
Where is the campaign heading?
In each of the 10 stops, the team will visit projects and initiatives supported by the EU and will talk with beneficiaries. The visit will culminate in a public event presenting and discussing the impact of EU investments, featuring an artistic program with one of the artists:
September 14 – Hîncești, with Gabriel Nebunu;
September 18 – Telenești, with Mariana Mihăilă;
September 22 – Orhei, with Mariana Mihăilă;
September 24 – Rezina, with Mariana Mihăilă;
September 29 – Briceni, with Maria Iliuț;
October 2 – Călărași, with Gabriel Nebunu;
October 8 – Florești, with Maria Iliuț;
October 12 – Cimișlia, with Maria Iliuț;
October 16 – UTA Gagauzia, with Vitalie Manjul;
October 20 – Bălți, with Gabriel Nebunu.
In each district, the team will seek answers to a few questions: What did the EU support in the localities of the district? Who benefited? What changed and how is this change visible today? The answers will come directly from the people in those respective communities.
What will happen on the ground?
The content creators involved in the campaign will visit EU-supported projects and speak with entrepreneurs, teachers, farmers, young people, beneficiaries, and other members of the communities. Not just about money, but about the changes these investments have made possible. Sometimes, the answer to the question “Where’s the money?” can be a business that has managed to grow. Other times—an investment in a school, infrastructure or local services, an agricultural project, a youth initiative, or an opportunity that has created jobs.
Stories from the ground also reach online
Visits and discussions will be documented through video materials, interviews, and short stories of the beneficiaries, published in Romanian and Russian. Thus, the campaign can also be followed by those who do not attend community events. All campaign products can be followed on:
Facebook: Europe Café
Instagram: Europe Café
TikTok: Unde-s Banii
Why “Where’s the money?”
The European Union is the Republic of Moldova’s most important supporting partner. Between 2021–2025, the EU allocated over 1.2 billion euros in grants to the Republic of Moldova. Added to this is the Growth Plan for Moldova, worth 1.9 billion euros—the largest support package ever offered to the Republic of Moldova by the European Union.
Figures are important. But millions or billions of euros can remain abstract if they are not tied to what happens in a village, a town, a school, a business, or a family’s life. Therefore, the “Where’s the money?” campaign aims to show what these figures mean in daily life and how European support translates into concrete results for people and communities. The campaign addresses people in local communities in particular, including those who have questions or doubts about European support. Instead of abstract explanations, “Where’s the money?” brings concrete examples: projects that can be visited, beneficiaries who can share stories, and results that can be seen.
See. Ask. Discover.
Throughout the campaign, the route, visited projects, people’s stories, and moments from the events can be followed online. Residents from the 10 districts and regions are invited to participate in the events, follow the materials from the ground, and, above all, bring their own questions. Because sometimes, the best answer to the question “Where’s the money?” is not another explanation. It is to go, ask, and see for yourself.
The “Where’s the money?” campaign or In search of European investments. Join in!
For more details and updates about the campaign, visit: www.eu4moldova.eu