● TUESDAY, January 13

2014 budget revenues larger than projected

The revenues collected into the national public budget last year are higher than the projections. According to the situation on December 31, 2014, the State Tax Service collected revenues of 23.410,4 billion into the national public budget, which is by 159.9 million lei more than projected. The information was made public by the head of the Main State Tax Inspectorate Ion Prisacaru.  The amounts collected into the state budget came to 9.614,9 billion lei or 101.2% (plus 110.8 million lei), into the budgets of the territorial administrative units – to 3.471,2 billion lei or 100.4% (plus 12.3 million lei), into the state social insurance budget – to 8.002,3 billion lei or 100.6% (plus 47.2 million lei), while into the mandatory health insurance funds – to 2.322,0 billion lei or 99.6% of the projections (minus 10.5 million lei).

● WEDNESDAY, January 14

ANRE issues license to Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie

The National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) issued the new company Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie with a license for supplying electric power. According to a communique of the ANRE, Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie was created as a result of the reorganization by separation of the company I.C.S. Red Union Fenosa. The process took place in accordance with the legislation on electricity, which obliges the operators to separate the power distribution activity from the power supply activity at legal level.

1,000 new workplaces within road rehabilitation projects

At least 1,000 new workplaces will be created this year within road rehabilitation projects that will be implemented in Moldova with foreign funds. In a meeting at the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure, representatives of foreign construction companies said they already started to employ people. According to a communique of the Ministry, acting Minister Vasile Botnari said the local workers will represent up to 93% of the staff of some of the companies. “These projects are of major importance for the country. The delays in implementing them are unacceptable and those who will postpone the works will be penalized. The company Pa&Co, which works on the Chisinau-Giurgiulesti road, will pay significant penalties for delays,” he stated.

Speculative trends on currency market must be managed, economic analyst

Economic analyst Viorel Chivriga considers the speculative trends on the currency market must be managed as there are commercial institutions that gain benefits from the fluctuation of the exchange rate. The expert commented on the developments on the currency market, especially the considerable appreciation of the US dollar, which passed the level of 16 lei. “The instability of the exchange rate is a trouble for any state. We must not forget that we are a country dependent on imports. A large part of the industrial and energy products reach us at a higher price. The rise in prices is already visible. Some of the medicines are sold with a large margin as these are in demand, especially with people on very low incomes. Even if Moldova is an agrarian country, we import many agrifood products that are in demand,” stated Viorel Chivriga, noting that the prices will grow in this sector too.

● THURSDAY, January 15

21 tonnes of Moldovan apples destroyed in Russia

The Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) informed that 21 tonnes of Moldovan apples were destroyed with the help of a bulldozer. On its website, the Service says that the apples were presented as being produced in Chili. The truck with the 21 tonnes of apples headed for Kazakhstan. It’s not known how, but it got to the Russian town Belgorod. The employees of Rosselkhoznadzor in Belgorod noticed that the labels on the boxes with apples, which showed that the country of origin was Chili, were attached freshly, instead of the old labels.

Ukraine’s decision to stop exporting electricity does not affect Moldova, ministry

The Ukrainian authorities’ decision to stop the exports of electric power, taken on November 28, 2014, does not affect Moldova’s energy security. According to a communique of the Ministry of Economy, the Cuchurgan Power Plant located in Transnistria increased the production of electric power and turned out to be a reliable partner that is dependably supplying Moldova with electricity. Starting with last December, the end-users in Moldova are supplied with about 75% of the necessary power by the Cuchurgan Power Plant, while the other 25% are provided by the local thermoelectric plants CETs. Only less than 1% of electricity is imported from Ukraine now. The supply cannot be interrupted fully for technical reasons.

Romania could export electricity to Moldova

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said he will Thursday have discussions with his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leanca so as to find solutions for Romania to export electric power to Moldova, Mediafax reports on its website. Asked by journalists if Romania will help Moldova following the halt in the export of power by Ukraine, the Premier said that the issue will be discussed with the Moldovan Prime Minister. “We have discussions with the Government of Moldova and will do what the infrastructure allows us to do. Romania has electric power. The problem is that we do not have sufficient transport capacities,” stated Ponta.

Opportunities for tourism business in Moldovan area of the Danube

The Tourism Development Association of Moldova identified a number of investment opportunities in the tourism sector in the Moldovan area of the Danube River after conducting recently a feasibility study. Among the opportunities are the improvement of transport logistics, rehabilitation or construction of accommodation units and traditional eateries, creation and promotion of tourist information centers in museums and extension of the health spa services. In a news conference on January 15, the Association’s head Viorel Miron said Moldova’s Cahul, Cantemir and Taraclia districts and the Territorial Autonomous Unit of Gagauzia, which are situated within 100 km of the Danube, represent a contiguous area of the largest European river. The attractions of the Danube in the ten riverine countries are ranked third in the European tourist motivation after the visitation of historical towns and the Mediterranean seaside.

EU and EBRD launch new program to support SMEs in Moldova

Moldovan small and medium-sized enterprises will soon be able to benefit from a program of financial support offered by the EU and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The program will help SMEs obtain advantageous loans in order to upgrade their production facilities and to seize new trade opportunities with the EU. The project was announced today by European Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn during an official visit in Tbilisi. According to him, the program will help SMEs make the most of the Association Agreements and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTA).

Poll commissioned by ANRCETI

About 75% of domestic households in Moldova have Internet connection, according to a poll commissioned by the National Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology. Most of the times the Internet is used to communicate through Skype, Viber (82%), to access social network sites (81%), to access news websites (67%) or to see the weather forecast (63%). “77% of the respondents said they are satisfied with the fixed-line Internet, while 54% - with the mobile Internet. According to those questioned, there are sufficient offers on this market and an offer at a reasonable price can be identified.  On the other hand, they said they are not satisfied with the unstable connection, the unstable or insufficient speed,” deputy division head at the ANRCETI Roman Bahnaru said.

● FRIDAY, January 16

Evolution of inflation rate in central bank’s interpretation 

The evolution of the rate of inflation in the fourth quarter of 2014 exceeded the anticipated value, the deviation being mainly determined by the larger than projected increase in food prices and the component prices of the basic inflation following the depreciation of the national currency against the U.S. dollar. The higher probability of a recession in the countries of the euro zone and in Russia, which are the main foreign commercial partners of Moldova, can lead to a decline in the currency incomes of the population and the national exporters in the short term, through the channel of foreign trade and remittances. This can influence the exchange rate of the national currency and, afterward, the evolution of inflation. The escalation of the geopolitical tensions in the region could determine additional inflationist pressure.

Two camps and several stops could be set up in Giurgiulesti and Slobozia 

Two camps could be created in Giurgiulesti and Slobozia Mare villages, which form part of the Moldovan area of the Danube River. Also, eight stops may be set up on the tourist route, shows a feasibility study made by the Association for the Development of Tourism in Moldova. The project comes as a solution for diversifying the accommodation units in the area. The Association’s head Viorel Miron, in a news conference said the feasibility studies for the tourism projects represent a condition imposed by the EU donors for providing non-reimbursable financing. The feasibility study conducted by the Association shows that not very expensive accommodation units are necessary in the area, such as camps with towers, little wooden houses, playgrounds and selling areas. Places can be also set up for mobile houses that are widely used by foreign tourists.

Yevgeny Shevchuk: 2015 will be tough from economic viewpoint 

The Transnistrian leader Yevgeny Shevchuk said that 2015 will be a tough year for the Transnistrian region from economic viewpoint. In an interview for a local radio station on January 16, Shevchuk said that many of the unpopular decisions, such as the halving of pension bonuses and the elimination of transport concessions, were taken as a result of the sudden worsening of the economic situation in the region. The Transnistrian leader noted that the budget revenues during the first ten days of January represented only 30% of the amounts collected in the corresponding period last year. Therefore, the concessions could not be kept.

Tiraspol modifies mechanism for taking currency out of Transnistria 

The private individuals living in the Transnistrian region or the foreigners have the right to take out of the region sums equal or higher than US$5,000 or the equivalent (in cash or check) only if they have a document showing the origin of the money. The region’s customs authority informs that in the absence of such a certificate, the person will be unable to go through the customs post with the money. The document is issued by the commercial bank that possesses information about the given sums. Together with it, the residents of the region must also present the identity card, while the foreigners – the passport.

● SATURDAY,  January 17

Vasile Bumacov reaches agreement with Russian counterpart 

Acting Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov agreed with his Russian counterpart Nicolai Fyodorov to reopen the talks to remove the barriers to the export of Moldovan agrifood products to Russia. The Moldovan official is on a working visit to Berlin, where he is taking part in the International Exhibition “Grune Woche-Berlin 2015” (“Green Week”). While in Berlin, Vasile Bumacov had a meeting with the Russian Minister of Agriculture Nicolai Fyodorov and the head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia (Rosselkhoznadzor) Sergey Dankvert. He informed the two officials that Moldova’s exports of agrifood products decreased considerably.

Income tax exemptions at same level as in 2014 yet 

Until the budgetary-fiscal and customs policy for 2015 is approved, the income tax exemptions will remain at the same level as last year (1/12 of the annual exemptions monthly). Currently, the taxpayers (resident private individuals) benefit from a personal income tax exemption of 9,516 lei a year. They can also benefit from a similar exemption for the husband (wife) on condition that the husband (wife) does not enjoy a personal exemption. The exemption for a maintained person is 2,124 lei.