● MONDAY, August 19
Over 400 wines to be presented in Chisinau on National Wide Day
This year, the National Wine Day will take place in the Great National Assembly Square of Chisinau, on October 1 and 2. The 15th event of the kind will bring together about 40 small, medium-sized and large wineries that will present about 400 old wines and wines made from the new harvest in different geographical areas. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Luca told a news conference that the National Wine Day is staged under the country brand “Wine of Moldova. Living Legend” and this fact contributes to promoting the wine’s image at national and foreign levels. “We must join forces and continue to promote our producers and wines, but it is more important to promote the Republic of Moldova as a country that makes wines of the highest quality,” stated the official.
● TUESDAY, August 20
Price ceiling of gasoline increased, of diesel fuel decreased
The National Agency for Energy Regulation for the next two weeks set a higher price ceiling for gasoline and a lower price ceiling for diesel fuel. Thus, for a liter of gasoline coded 95, the price ceiling is 16.25 lei, up 0.06 lei compared with two weeks ago. The diesel fuel will cost at most 13.82 lei, as opposed to 13.92 lei during the last two weeks. The price ceilings set on September 20 will be applied from September 21 until October 4.
● THURSDAY, August 22
Housing building in “Valea Morilor” Park could be banned
The Ministry of Economy suggests modifying the plan of action for developing the territory of “Valea Morilor” Park in Chisinau, which was approved by a Government decision of July 22, 2015, so as to ban the construction of housing in the park that is managed by the International Exhibitions Center “Moldexpo”. In this connection, the Ministry of Economy notes that the plan of action until 2020 inclusive envisions the construction of a multifunctional pavilion where to hold exhibitions, business congresses and cultural events.
● FRIDAY, August 23
Octavian Calmac: We will manage to reconquer Russian market
Minister of Economy Octavian Calmac is optimistic that the Russian Federation will soon lift the ban imposed on the import of Moldovan products. He developed the issue in the talk show “Moldova live” on the public TV channel “Moldova 1”. “We had discussions with high-ranking Russian officials. Prime Minister Pavel Filip discussed the issue with President Vladimir Putin. The signals are positive. We will do our best to resume the export to the Eastern market,” stated the official. Octavian Calmac noted that the Moldovan products do not meet the requirements on the European market. “We do not produce goods that can be accepted on the EU market. Owing to the disagreements between the European Union and the Russian Federation, the prices on the EU market decreased a lot. We will make effort to reconquer the Eastern market. Our business entities want it as they need the Russian market,” he said.
Parliament names two National Bank vice governors
The legislative body appointed Vladimir Munteanu and Cristina Harea as first vice governor and, resopectively, vice governor of the National Bank of Moldova on September 23. National Bank governor Sergiu Cioclea said in Parliament that he set the goal of building an independent team. Vladimir Munteanu has worked at the central bank for eight years and then studied in the U.S. and cooperated with the World Bank. He is an ideal candidate for the post of first vice governor. As to Cristina Harea, she worked in the surveillance council of a national commercial bank for eight years and has experience in investment attraction.
Customs Service finalizes risk management strategy
The Customs Service by the end of his year will finalize the draft risk management strategy and will thus become the first authority in the region that will possess such a document. The subject was discussed in a meeting of the Customs Service’s director general Vitalie Vrabie and the Head of the EUBAM Office in Moldova Slawomir Pichor. In a press release, the Customs Service says the given strategy will ensure greater efficiency in the prevention and combating of customs frauds and, consequently, full collection of customs duties into the state budget.
● SATURDAY, September 24
Kolkhoz system destroyed entrepreneurial spirit of people, press club meeting
The agricultural production cooperatives in the form of kolkhozes that existed in the Republic of Moldova destroyed the entrepreneurial spirit of the people because these didn't enable the people to develop business ideas and to work individually. These types of cooperatives formed whole generations of executors. The issue was discussed in a press club meeting staged by the Independent Journalism Center. According to the UNDP Moldova representative Ghennady Ivashchenko, from statistical viewpoint, in agriculture and in rural areas only 2% of the people can organize technological processes and can create workplaces. The other 98% are executors who wait for someone to give them work. This happens because entrepreneurial abilities haven't been developed in time. "We apportioned land to people who do not have entrepreneurial spirit. We have to wait for land redistribution and consolidation in agriculture," he stated.
Fewer inspection bodies
The legislative initiative to reduce the number of inspection bodies was passed by Parliament in the final reading in its first sitting of the autumn session on September 23. The number of inspection boides was decreased from 33 to 11. There will also be five independent regulators. The goals are to reduce the administrative burden on the business sector, to exclude situations of abuse on entrepreneurs and to optimize state inspections and make them more transparent. The inspection bodies that remained are: the National Food Safety Agency, the Agency for Market and Nonfood Products Surveillance, the Inpectorate for Technical Surveillance, the Public Health Agency, the Inspectorate for Environment Protection, the Customs Service, the State Main Tax Inspectorate, the Transport Administration Agency, the National Center for Personal Data Protection, the National Accreditation Center, and the National Quality Assurance Agency for Professional Education.
Moldova signs new lending agreements with foriegn institutions
Parliament on September 23 adopted the bill to ratify the agreement on additional financing between Moldova and the International Development Association (IDA) for implementing the Moldova Competitive Agriculture Project. In the same sitting, the MPs endorsed the initiative to ratify the financing agreement between Moldova and the IDA and the lending agreement between Moldova and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) for modernizing fiscal administration. The agreement on the implementation of the project in agriculture envisions a US$10 million loan that will be available to farmers for enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector by strengthening food safety management and increasing soil productivity by sustainable land management. The money is intended for improving project management and for providing grants for augmenting sales. The groups of producers will be able for seevral consecutive grants, within the cap of US$ 350,000.
Baggage reclaim area at Chisinau airport extended
The baggage reclaim area in the arrivals hall of the Chisinau International Airport was extended by 50% and was fully renovated. In a press release, the airport managing company "Avia Invest” says the extension of this area signficantly increased the baggage processing capacity and helps avoid crowdedness in this sector. Three carousels now work in the baggage reclaim area. The engineering (anti-fire, power and air-conditioning) systems were renovated and modernized. The works to set up the ceiling and the LED lighting system are close to an end.
Contract for repair of Chisinau-Giurgiulesti road terminated
The Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure annulled the two-year contract with Pa&Co International SRL of Romania, which was chosen to repair the M3 Chisinau-Giurgiulesti road at an international tender contest. The decision was taken after a series of attempts to help the contractor perform the works in accordance with the contract. The Ministry said that during two years the Romanian company only prepared the building site and started embankment works. Of the 140 units of machinery needed to rehabilitate the road, only 16 were brought to the building site. Also, the contractor didn't store the necessary building materials.
