The macro-financial support provided by the EU is periodically compromised owing to the irresponsible Moldovan politicians. The Republic of Moldova failed to get the €40 million in macro-financial support last July and risks not to obtain the next support of €50 million the absorption time limit for which is September 2021, said Iurie Calestru, programs director at the Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects (IDEP), co-author of the conception of the ECIPES Program. He noted that this money could be used for the benefit of the country and its citizens. The Moldova-EU Association Agreement is one of the basic elements for ensuring direct support for the citizens.
The ECIPES program was developed as a strategic initiative of the European Commission for the Eastern Partnership, at the first stage for the Republic of Moldova. In a news conference at IPN, Iurie Calestru reminded that the conception since July 2019 has been discussed in the European Parliament and other European institutions and proposes creating a new format of support, with European funds, for three categories of beneficiaries, using an online platform.
In the framework of ECIPES, the young people between the ages of 18-35 seeking to launch a business will get by €5,000 for a venture in the services sector or €15,000 for a manufacturing venture. The second category of beneficiaries is the mayor’s offices that are twinned with EU municipalities. They could implement a local development project with a maximum of €10,000 in EU funding. Also, the Moldovan citizens could apply online to have domestic electrical appliances renewed through a platform. Instead, they will receive a one-off grant of €100 per person.
“We speak about the renovation of domestic appliances for 200,000 families and the utilization of the old ones. We speak about the launch of 2,000 Eco startups for the young people and about 500 projects for the local public authorities, with the Eco component – projects of the local public authorities twinned with the local public authorities of the European Union,” stated Iurie Calestru.
“This program is a very innovative one and includes such elements as digitalization, optimization, transparency, social policy, the European Green Deal, reduction of citizen frustration and of migration, especially among young people, innovative monitoring, diminution of appropriation of European funds, direct support for the SMEs, LPAs.”
Gabriel Mărgineanu, co-author of the program and a member of the Administration Board of IDEP, said the ECIPES Program perfectly matches the Moldova – EU Association Agreement and is designed to improve the quality of life in Moldova. “The Association Agreement, as a basic element, enables to launch and to bring financing to the Republic of Moldova, which would reach directly the beneficiaries so that each person at home, in the kitchen, in the bathroom feels this support. Each locality, by laying out a ground, a filling station within three months can have a project implemented in society. The young entrepreneurs would have a business launched,” stated Gabriel Mărgineanu.
The program authors noted they are waiting for responses to a number of questions sent by renowned MEPs to the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the Presidents of Moldova and Romania.
