● MONDAY, July 21

Risk of Tiraspol denouncing Association Agreement with EU 

The economic system of Transnistria is ‘fractured’, being based on several very large companies, while the small and medium-sized companies are very weak. The denouncement of the Association Agreement with the EU, signed and ratified by Moldova, will gradually lead to the economic isolation of the region. Such conclusions were reached by authors of the study “Regional economic magazine: Transnistrian region” that is produced by the think tank “Expert-Grup”. Expert-Grup executive director Adrian Lupusor, who is a co-author of the study, told a news conference that the Transnistrian administration maintains artificially the value of the Transnistrian ruble, while their foreign exchange reserves fell up to eight times below the admissible limit.

ANRE director dismissed 

The director general of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) Victor Parlicov was removed from post by a majority of votes of MP. Head of the Parliament’s commission on appointments and immunities Raisa Apolschii said the decision to dismiss the ANRE director general was drafted following an application from the Rascani Probation Office, concerning the implementation of the Buiucani Court’s decision of March 2014, by which Victor Parlicov is banned from holding public posts for a period of a year.

Parliament forgives debt of Glorinal 

The legislative body passed in the second reading the bill by which the construction company Glorinal is exempted from paying the debt of about 25 million lei to the state budget. Under the bill, the company’s debt was forgiven in exchange for the state debt to Glorinal, which reconstructed and restored the Curchi Monastic Complex. The Curchi Monastery, which is situated in the forest Codrii Orheiului, is one of the most important monuments of the Bessarabian architecture.

e-Invoice system will be implemented at over 150 pubic institutions 

More than 150 public institutions will be connected to the automated system e-Invoice by September 1, the Government’s press service has said. In August, the State Main Tax Inspectorate will organize a training course on the use of the e-Invoice system and will make sure that the ministries, central public authorities managed by the Government and the autonomous public institutions are connected to this system by September 1.

When Moldovan products enter European market, they will have access worldwide 

European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy Tonio Borg and Prime Minister Iurie Leanca discussed in Chisinau the European Union’s decision to double the import quotas on particular Moldovan fruit and vegetables from this autumn. The European official sad that when the Moldovan products enter the European market, they will gain access to any place of the world. Iurie Leanca assured Tonio Borg that the reforms will continue and all the necessary measures will be taken for the Moldovan products to reach the EU market.

19.5m lei for diminishing effects of Russian bans 

The Government approved the allocation of 19.5 million lei for promoting the national products and diminishing the effects of the Russian bans on the import of Moldovan fruit and vegetables. The authorities will work out regulations for purchasing apples from national producers and supplying them to kindergartens, schools and the army so that the children, students and soldiers receive by an apple a day. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said a working group will be created to work out the regulations. It will consist of representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and he Ministry of Defense.

● TUESDAY, July 22

New commemorative coin dedicated to 20th anniversary of Constitution

The National Bank of Moldova is putting three silver commemorative coins into circulation, as legal tender and for numismatic purpose. One of them is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova, quoting a communiqué of the National Bank of Moldova. The coin dedicated to the anniversary of the Constitution has the nominal value of 100 lei and weighs 13 grams. It was issued in a number of 1,000 copies and complements the series “Historical events”, together with the second coin – “125 years of the foundation of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History”.

Eventis Mobile calls on ANRCETI to execute court decisions

Eventis Mobile called upon the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) and the State Registration Chamber to implement the decisions of the national courts of law. The company’s lawyers told a news conference that all the legal norms concerning the fulfillment of obligations are being violated. Eventis Mobile lawyer Andrei Iosip said the competent Moldovan institutions groundlessly refuse to execute the court decisions, causing thus damage both to the legal entities involved in the transactions and to the company’s creditors.

Oil companies reduce selling prices of fuel

Several oil companies informed the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) about the decision to reduce the selling prices of diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas starting with July 22. According to specialists of the ANRE, one of the main reasons for such a decision is the appreciation of the Moldovan leu against the U.S. dollar.

State Register of Inspections becomes operational

The State Register of Inspections has become operational. This is a common online platform allowing authorized inspection bodies to automate the process of planning inspections and registering planned and unplanned checks as well as to publish them on the public portal controale.gov.md. Automation of the inspection planning and monitoring process helps avoid the abusive, repeated and unjustified performance of inspections. The system signals infringement of the legislative provisions by an inspection body (for example, in case of repeated and unjustified inspections performed by an inspection body at one and the same economic entity during a year).

IMF mission ends visit to Chisinau

The International Monetary Fund’s mission headed by Max Alier had been in Chisinau between July 16 and July 22. The goal of the mission was to examine the situation in the country’s financial-banking sector and to discuss the assistance for development provided to Moldova and the implementation of the structural policies after the IMF-supported program expires. According to the Government’s press service, at the end of the mission the experts met with Prime Minister Iurie Leanca. The main subjects discussed in the meeting included the macroeconomic situation in 2014 and, in the medium term, the monetary policies pursued by the National Bank of Moldova and the situation in the financial sector of the country.

Government is looking for solutions to diminish losses of fruit producers

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, after a meeting with fruit and vegetable producers, said the Government is looking for solutions to diminish the losses sustained as a result of the import restrictions imposed by Russia. The allocation of 20 million lei for the state to purchase fruit for kindergartens, schools and the army from the producers is a first announced solution. The Premier said he is discussing the possibility of increasing Moldova’s exports of fresh and canned fruit and vegetables with officials from a number of European countries.

● WEDNESDAY, July 23

U.S. to spend more than $10m on economic development programs in Moldova this year 

Combined with the $2.8 million announced earlier this year, the United States will spend more than $10 million on economic development programs in Moldova in 2014, with a significant focus on private sector competitiveness and agriculture, it is said in a press release of the U.S. Embassy in Moldova. The money will go to increase the international competitiveness of Moldova’s high-value agriculture – especially apples, table grapes, greenhouse produce, peaches, and cherries. The U.S. is also supporting Moldova’s efforts to comply with EU regulations under its recently signed Association Agreement, including the adoption of heightened phytosanitary standards. 

Money for apples for kindergartens and schools will become available next Monday 

The 20 million lei allocated for purchasing apples from national producers for kindergartens and schools will reach the accounts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry on July 28. Prime Minister Iurie Leanca asked Minister of Agriculture Vasile Bumacov to work out a purchasing mechanism. In the opening of the July 23 meeting of the Government, the Premier said possibilities should be identified to increase the agriculture subsidization fund. A meeting with representatives of banks will be held on July 24 to agree the rescheduling of some producers’ debts related to the repayment of loans. Moldovagaz and Gas Natural Fenosa will be requested to be more understanding towards the producers given the difficult situation in which they found themselves.

Moldovan-Israeli cooperation 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of Moldova and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Israel will cooperate based on a memorandum signed within the Moldovan-Israeli intergovernmental commission for commercial-economic cooperation in Chisinau. Minister of Agriculture Vasile Bumacov, who chairs the commission on behalf of Moldova, told a news conference that the commercial relations between Moldova and Israel are developing, especially in the agroindustrial sector.

● THURSDAY, July 24

Assistance for increasing energy efficiency 

Moldova could receive a grant of €20 million from the Eastern European Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P) for increasing energy efficiency, especially at municipal enterprises. The Government of Moldova has initiated negotiations in this respect. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Andrian Candu said that Moldova can benefit from the €20 million by contributing only 1 million lei to supplementing the E5P Fund.

Administration Board of Energy Efficiency Fund has new president 

Minister of Economy Andrian Candu was elected as the new president of the Administration Board of the Energy Efficiency Fund by a unanimous vote of the members. According to the Ministry of Economy, about 450 million lei will be allocated from the Fund by this yearend for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the public and private sectors.

Moldovan agricultural products will easier cross border with Ukraine 

The customs authorities agreed to facilitate the export of Moldovan agricultural products to Ukraine. The decision was taken as a result of a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and his Ukrainian counterpart Arseniy Yatsenyuk. According to a communiqué of the Customs Service, the Ukrainian side assured that they will not allow imposing non-tariff barriers on the import of Moldovan agricultural products.

Banks ready to provide assistance to producers 

Bank managers expressed readiness to support the producers of fruit and vegetables and promised to review the lending policies applying to them. The information was communicated to Prime Minster Iurie Leanca after the meeting with representatives of Moldovan banks on July 24. “The effects of the bans imposed by Russia do not create major risks for the macroeconomic parameters because foreign financing of about US$250 million is expected to come from the European Commission, the World Bank and from the telecoms carriers that will renew their licenses in the next four-five months. This money will also allow reducing the pressure on the leu. The national currently will appreciate against the dollar and the euro and the results will be visible from next week already,” stated the Premier.

Moldovan producers go to Romania to establish relations to supply products 

Next week, a group of agricultural producers and exporters of vegetal products from Moldova will travel to Bucharest to meet with representatives of Romanian commercial organizations. They aim to establish direct relations to cooperate in supplying and selling fresh and canned fruit and vegetables from Moldova. The issue was discussed by Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and his Romanian counterpart Victor Ponta during a phone conversation on July 24.