Moldova’s economy remains extremely vulnerable to internal and external shocks. Next year the GDP is expected to decrease by 3-5%. The situation of 1998, especially the economic crisis of that year, is likely to repeat in 2016, candidate for Prime Minister Ion Sturza said in a meeting with representatives and members of associations of businessmen, IPN reports.
Ion Sturza told the businessmen that a predictable and stable fiscal policy is needed. “I would attentively analyze the possibility of reducing the fiscal burden, including the VAT, by 2 percentage points. I would ban by law the Ministry of the Interior and the prosecution service from interfering in the activity of economic entities. I was astounded when I saw that masked officers of the Ministry had time to enter an egg factory to check the stamps,” he stated.
He added that the poor situation in the banking sector is mainly due to the National Bank. “For us, it is very important to have a legitimate administration at the National Bank, which would be first of all professional. Wisdom and experience is needed at the central bank. The stolen money must be brought back to the economy, while the banks should be forced to ‘look for’ economic entities whom to finance,” said Ion Sturza.
He noted that he would not like to go and beg for assistance from the international financial organizations, as he did in 1998-1999, but there are no other chances for growing the country’s economy. “Theoretically, in ideal conditions, in 2016 we can get about US$200 million in direct budget support. I refer to the Romanian loan and money from the World Bank and other organizations. If we have a Government, we can resume the discussions with the financial organizations. I would oblige by law the Government to direct the money that it could receive as foreign assistance next year to economic activities, but not chaotically, but to large infrastructure projects, such as energy interconnection systems and road infrastructure,” stated the candidate.
Ion Sturza was nominated for premiership on December 21. In a special sitting of Parliament on January 4, he will seek a vote of confidence for the future Cabinet from the MPs. He needs at least 51 votes to be invested.
