By bne IntelliNews Moldova’s private consumption posted an average growth rate of 5.5% over the five-year period to 2021 (when it surged by 10%), but it was severely hit by the shrinking disposable income caused by both inflation and high energy bills in 2022. Sales dropped less than wages in 2022, but the potential for recovery in 2023 is hindered by the high energy prices faced by households, companies and the government. Politically, the war in Ukraine encouraged Moldova’s authorities to speed up their EU accession plans — and in a similar way the economic slowdown caused by the war gives i…