“The World Bank attaches paramount importance to issues of transparency and accountability in its operations,” it is said in a communique released by the World Bank Office in Moldova in response to the statements made by the former head of the National Metrology and Standardization Institute Igor Caldare, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on April 27, Igor Caldare said persons working in the quality infrastructure sector in Moldova worked out an elaborate scheme to illegally use the US$5 million that remained from a loan and grant provided by the World Bank. According to him, the scheme consists in the utilization of non-transparent and non-justified procedures in purchasing equipment for the metrology and testing laboratories of the National Metrology and Standardization Institute with the money given by the World Bank several years ago for a quality infrastructure project. In this connection, the World Bank says the Competitiveness Enhancement Project was approved by the World Bank Board of Directors in October 2005. Since then the project has assisted over 130 Moldovan companies implement international quality standards, which has led to increases in sales and product quality. It has fully equipped five national metrology laboratories, with another three to be completed within the next year. Three independent audits and regular supervisions of activities in the framework of the Competitiveness Enhancement Project have revealed compliance with World Bank procurement and financial management guidelines on the side of the implementer. “Institutional policies require that all beneficiaries of Bank funds, as well as bidders, suppliers, contractors and consultants under Bank-financed projects observe the highest standard of ethics during the procurement and execution of contracts. To ensure integrity in its operations the Bank has set up an anti-corruption hotline which is publicly accessible via the World Bank website,” says the communique.