2017 will be better than 2016 from economic viewpoint. Agriculture, trade and investments are the main areas that will make progress. The tariffs of electricity, natural gas and heat will be increased, experts of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Veaceslav Ionita and Victor Parlicov anticipated in the talk show “60 minutes of economic realism”, IPN reports.

“Trade will grow after it will be taken out of the underground economy given that the tax will be 1% of the turnover. Agriculture will develop as a result of the better performance of farmers and following the provision of support by the state and foreign assistance. As regards investments, these could grow as a result of the restoration of foreign partners’ confidence. We have the example of 2014, when the state was a powerful player in the building sector and made investments in the rehabilitation of schools, kindergartens, building of water supply systems and local roads,” stated Veaceslav Ionita.

For his part, Victor Parlicov said the restoration of the stolen US$1 billion remains the main problem in 2017. The government will take actions to improve things, but will center on small things that look nice, not on the reforms needed by Moldova. “In 2017, the tariffs of electric power and natural gas will increase by about 10% as a result of the inclusion of financial deviations in the tariff. The price of gas will be also affected by the rise in oil prices at international stock exchanges. The small-scale economic reinvigoration will be the only good news this year,” he noted.

According to the expert, any action that will be taken by the government to develop the economy will not have effects. The authorities try rather to walk on rope so as not to bother the development partners and to furnish the population with good news, but risk falling into disfavor with the development partners in 2017.