● MONDAY, May 26
“Moldovagaz” to cover losses sustained in 2013 with future incomes
The general assembly of shareholders of “Moldovagaz” decided to cover the losses sustained by the company last year with the incomes that will be earned the next years. The decision was taken in the annual ordinary general assembly on May 26. According to a communiqué of the company, SA “Moldovagaz” chose the international company ICS “PricewaterhouseCoopers Audit” SRL to perform the audit in 2014. The assembly elected the new members of the Censors Commission and the Supervisory Board.
● TUESDAY, May 27
Amendments proposed to law on state social insurance system
The State Main Tax Inspectorate put forward a bill with amendments to the law on the state social insurance system, which provides that procedures similar to those used in the process of administering taxes will be applied in administering mandatory state social insurance contributions. The bill was endorsed by the Ministry of Finance and was submitted to the National Anticorruption Center for approval. “When this bill is adopted, the tax bodies will be able to monthly receive information about the contributions that are to be paid from taxpayers. Currently, we receive this information from the National Social Insurance House, with a delay of 35 days. The obtaining of this information directly from taxpayers will help us to act more swiftly in collecting the debts,” said deputy head of the State Main Tax Inspectorate Gheorghe Cojocaru.
More farmers apply for agricultural subsidies
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry said that 1,768 applications for agricultural subsidies of over 339 million lei were recorded in the first five months of this year. The value of the asked subsidies is by over 200 million lei higher than in 2013. According to a communiqué of the Ministry, in the period there were signed 762 contracts for the provision of financial assistance and accepted applications for subsidies of 107 million lei.
Agricultural producers called to protest
A number of associations representing agricultural producers made a call to the farmers to take part in a protest that will be mounted in the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau on May 28. Chairman of the National Farmers Federation of Moldova Valeriu Cosarciuc told a news conference that the producers must find time and come to Chisinau because the planned protest is a demonstration of dignity of the people working in the agricultural sector. The producers support the path to European integration, but consider that the policies on agriculture and rural development must also be European. The protest will be peaceful. The participants will support no political party and no money will be paid for presence, said chairman of the National Union of Agricultural Producers Associations “UniAgroProtect” Alexandru Slusari.
Romanian company ready to invest €30m in Moldova
Romania’s Dedeman company announced its intention to invest €30 million in Moldova. In a meeting with Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, the company’s president Dragos Paval said the money will be used to open two stores in Chisinau, where 400 new jobs will be created. The businessman said Moldova will be the first destination where the company will extend its operations outside Romania. A shop will be afterward opened in Balti. Iurie Leanca said this project means workplaces, investments in related areas and a wider variety of building materials.
● WEDNESDAY, May 28
New round of privatization to sell state public property
The Public Property Agency has announced a new round of privatization of state public property that will take place between May 30 and July 18. This is the second round this year. According to the Ministry of Economy, the initial selling price of the property is 894.44 million lei. Two contests will be held in the period, an investment one and a commercial one. The movie theaters of Falesti and Leova towns and the Chisinau jewelry factory “Giuvaier” will be exhibited for sale in the investment contest for a sum of 10.7 million lei. The investments that will be made in these facilities within three years will be minimum 8.7 million lei.
Mobiasbanca to launch innovative product for Moldova
Mobiasbanca - Groupe Société Générale this month celebrates 150 years of the foundation of the group, which was created on May 4, 1864. On this occasion, the bank will launch a series of new products, some of which are novelties in Moldova, Mobiasbanca president Ridha Tekaia told a news conference. The festivities that will be held to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Groupe Société Générale started on the first days of May, when Mobiasbanca launched the new design of its cards, equipped with chip. These are the cards Maestro, MasterCard, the Cherie Cherie collection, credit and debit cards in all the currencies. The president of Mobiasbanca said the new design was inspired by the main values of the bank - team spirit, confidence and safety.
Agriculture minister in favor of allowing farmers to import diesel fuel directly
Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov supports the farmers’ request to be allowed to import diesel fuel directly, for production needs. “I don’t think the difference in price will be very great, but the fact that the farmers will have the right to import diesel fuel directly, not through operators, means a lot. The Government approved a bill to this effect, but I don’t know where it is now,” said the official. The minister said that he permanently discusses with representatives of farmers, but their requests are not always within the Ministry’s competence. “I’m ready to help them,” said Vasile Bumacov, when asked by journalists to comment on the protests mounted by farmers in the Great National Assembly Square in Chisinau.
● THURSDAY, May 29
Economy Ministry reviews economic growth forecast
The Ministry of Economy reviewed down the economic growth forecast for this year, from 4% to 3.5%. In a meeting of the Ministry’s Consultative Council, Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of Economy Valeriu Lazar said the forecast of 3.5% is based on objective factors and takes into account the probable risks for this year. According to the official, the risks are related to the restriction of exports to the CIS countries, the problems that the Moldovan migrants can encounter, especially those working in Russia, and the worsening of the economic situation in Ukraine, Russia, and Belarus.
Farmers will be exempted from VAT on import of tractors
The agricultural producers will be exempted from VAT on the import of tractors, agricultural machinery and irrigation equipment. A bill to this effect was passed by Parliament in the first reading on May 29. Bill author Ion Balan said agriculture contributes to higher amounts collected into the state budget and the state should thus promote the policies designed to support farmers.
● FRIDAY, May 30
Attraction of foreign investment to economy remains an absolute priority, Deputy PM
“We are very far from the results achieved in attracting foreign investment before the crisis in 2008, when it amounted to US$711 million,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said, commenting on the achievements of the national economy in 2013 and 2014. Moldova, as the whole region, witnesses a decline or a very modest rise in the foreign direct investment (FDI), he stated. “The foreign direct investment is made very carefully, not only in Moldova, but also in the other countries of the region. Even if the FDI attracted to the national economy last year increased by 32% on 2012, its share of 2.9% of the GDP is a great challenge for an economy that wants to modernize and for which the access to financial resources is a constraint,” Valeriu Lazar said in a roundtable meeting.
Losses of Chisinau budget over last five years amounted to 300m lei, study
The losses sustained by the local budget of Chisinau during the last five years came to at least 300 million lei. The main losses are suffered as a result of privatization by tenancy as the relevant acts are often illegal and groundless, said experts of the Independent Analytical Centre “Expert-Grup”. In the study “Budgetary transparency in Chisinau municipality”, the experts highlight shortcomings in three areas: use of public property tenancy and lease, privatization and public procurement. According to a communiqué of Expert-Grup, the privatization of land and non-residential areas is based on the lease/tenancy contract, but this should not be possible. Most of the privatization decisions are taken by the simple majority of votes of the Privatization Council, whose activity cannot be assessed by the public, especially because no reports are published.
● SATURDAY, May 31
Russia does not accept Air Moldova plane into its airspace
The Russian side maintains the flight ban on a large-capacity plane of Air Moldova airline flying on the Chisinau – Saint Petersburg route and back. The company’s press officer Mihaela Camerzan has told hat the Russian side provided no explanations why the flights by this aircraft are banned. The company sold tickets for the May 28 flight to and from Russia by the plane that has a capacity of 220 seats. After the ban was imposed, all the passengers were informed about the changes. A part of them returned the tickets, while others are waiting for the company to embark them on another plane to the mentioned destinations.
