The contributions paid by 33 of the 50 big companies operating in the Transnistrian region, which pay the largest amounts as taxes into the social insurance fund, decreased significantly last year. Thus, in 2015 these were by over 40 million Transition rubles (over 75m lei) lower than a year before, IPN reports.

The Transnistrian press reported that the contributions paid into the social insurance fund by the company “Tirotex” were by 13.5 million rubles lower (over 25m lei), while those paid by Sheriff decreased by 12.5  million rubbles (23.5m lei).

According to the Transnistrian administration, 17 companies paid larger contributions yet. Among these were the Moldovan Power Plant (Cuchurgan) and Energocapital, which paid by 19.5 million rubles (36.7m lei more than in 2014.

Transnistria’s social insurance fund ensures the payment of pensions and other state guaranteed social welfare. Last year, the fund’s incomes came to 1.29 billion rubbles (2.4bn lei), while the spending totaled 2.18 billion rubbles (4.11 billion lei).

The Transnistrian region faces a series of economic problems caused including by the armed conflict in Ukraine, which affected the size of contributions paid by companies and the region’s foreign trade. The region’s economy is also affected by the economic crisis in Moldova and Russia, which are Transnistria’s main trade partners.