ECO-BUS WEEKLY DIGEST February 15– 21. Most important Economy & Business news by IPN

● MONDAY, February 15

Restrictive measures imposed in relation to shopping centers and markets

The shopping centers in the country will not work on Saturdays and Sundasy, while the markets, except for farmers’ markets, will work only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays as from February 17. This is provided in a decision adopted by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission, which also extended the state of public health emergency until April 15. By the same decision, the number of participants in festive events at public eating places was reduced from 50 to 20. The presence of spectators in cinema halls is forbidden, while the nightclubs and discothèques remain closed.

● TUESDAY, February 16

MP: What’s the reason behind partial closure of markets?

The deputy head of the Party “Dignity and Truth Platform”, MP Alexandru Slusari wonders what’s the reason behind the partial closure of markets that was ordered by the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission. The party’s parliamentary group intends to demand that this subject should be discussed on the parliamentary platform. “My phone has been red since morning. What’s the reason behind the partial closure of commercial markets? Was the largest number of hotbeds of infection discovered there? It is now not clear why the units of the hospitality industry cannot work at night if they ensure all the conditions for maintaining social distancing. The interim government that does not answer for anything hits again the poorest ones, those who now get frozen in markets with minuscule sales so as to survive, while the supermarkets that are crowded daily by people will have additional profits,” the MP posted on Facebook. According to him, those who decided to limit the activity of markets do not propose any compensatory measure even if the affected traders pay social insurance contributions.

● WEDNESDAY, February 17

Vehicles with foreign license numbers cannot be sold without consent of customs body

The units of transport with foreign license numbers cannot be sold, donated, leased our or offered as security without the consent of the customs body. The Customs Service warns the people who brought vehicles with foreign license numbers into Moldova about the new rules that took effect on January 1, 2020. Under the Contravention Code, the non-obeying of the customs regime conditions is punished with a fine of 3,000 to 4,500 lei and with the obligation to take the vehicle out of Moldova. If the vehicle was not taken out of Moldova within the legal time limit and this no longer exists, the customs body will collect import duties. This refers to such cases as destruction and sale of parts confirmed by justificatory documents or the own responsibility statement of the person.

Moldova’s exports down over 10% in 2020

The exports of the Republic of Moldova last year came to US$2.485,2 billion, a 10.6% decrease compared with 2019. Moldova exported primarily to Romania (28.4% of total exports), Germany (9.1%), Russia (8.7%), Italy (8.6%) and Turkey (6.9%). According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the exports of Moldovan goods in 2020 added up to US$1.905,2 billon (76.7% of total exports), down 4.6% on 2019. The re-exports of foreign goods (after processing and classical) totaled US$580.0 million (23.3% of exports), a decline of 25.8% compared with 2019. Some 88.4% of the exported goods were transported by road, 7% by sea, 2.8% by rail, while 1.8% by air.

New rise in fuel prices. PAS MP seeks resignations at NAER and Competition Council

MP of the Party of Action and Solidary (PAS) Radu Marian said the directors of the Nationals Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) and the Competition Council should resign right away after oil sellers increased fuel prices for the fourth time the past two months. “The oil sellers say the price increased on international markets too. But they don’t say that the price of gasoline in Moldova rose more (+20%) than, for example, in Romania (+10%). These people’s impudence is simply limitless. In 2020, which was a crisis year with an unprecedented drought, the companies put on gasoline a markup that was twice higher than in the last fewer years. Why do they do this? Because they are allowed to,” stated the MP. According to him, the NAER would say that they can do nothing given that the tariff can be adjusted within the markup of 10%, but it should say that the methodology for calculating the costs of fuel sellers is fully corrupt. The oil sellers can class as costs what they want – from training sessions abroad to studies of bosses’ children.

● THURSDAY, February 18

Central Market of Chisinau works as usual

The Central Market of Chisinau works according to the ordinary program, which is every day except Monday. The administration said the Central Market is a mixed market, while the National Extraordinary Public Health Commission’s restrictions refer to “commercial markets”. Contacted by IPN for details, acting director of the Central Marker Ion Pîntea said that as long as there is no decision adopted at municipal level, he cannot take measures by himself. “As the municipal enterprise didn’t receive instructions from the local authorities as regards closure or switchover to another program, we work according to the standard program, by strictly obeying the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, with sanitary days,” stated Ion Pîntea. As to the commercial centers situated in the vicinity of the market, the director said these are private enterprises.

Situation for air transport remains uncertain in 2021 too

2020 was probably one of the most difficult years for the air transport sector, both for the airport and for all the airlines. The number of passengers in March-December 2020 declined by almost 80% compared with the corresponding period of 2019, said representatives of “Avia Invest” company that manages the Chisinau International Airport. According to them, the situation remains uncertain in 2021 too as the air transport continues to suffer because of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Compared with other countries, the airport in Chisinau suffers also because only international flights are operated there. We do not have internal flights, as they have in Romania, Ukraine, Russia or other countries in Europe where, besides the international air passenger transport, there are also local flights. Respectively, the situation in our country is affected by the measures applied by the countries in relation to the Republic of Moldova and, surely, by the measures we impose on the foreigners,” said Rodica Rusu, spokeswoman for “Avia Invest”, stated for IPN.

● FRIDAY, February 19

Autonomous Central Heating offers increased thermal comfort at small costs, Termoelectrica

Individual connection or disconnection for each apartment, regulation of heat depending on the necessity, twice lower costs associated with heating and greater thermal comfort. These are the advantages obtained by the dwellers of the apartment building located at 2/5 Mihail Sadoveanu St in Ciocana district of Chisinau after they benefitted from the modernization of the heating system and were connected to Autonomous Central Heating. According to Termoelectrica, together with the switchover to Autonomous Central Heating, the conflicts between dwellers related to the heating system in the block disappeared. “The installation is new, perfect, modern. The meters were set up in the corridor and each person has access and can turn on or off the heating and regulate the temperature in apartments,” stated Ștefan Belostecinic, the block’s manager.

Three banks collected 2.6bn lei since withdrawal of licenses

The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) said the liquidators of Banca de Economiii (BEM), Banca Socială and Unibank continue to take measures to sell the assets. Since their licenses were withdrawn in October 2015 until the end of 2020, the banks collected a total of 2.60 billion lei, IPN reports, quoting the Bank. In the period between November 2014 and October 2015, the NBM offered the three banks emergency loans covered by state guarantees in the amount of 14.121 billion lei. The BEM received 9.273 billion, Banca Socială – 2.7 billion, while Unibank – 2.148 billion lei. The money available in the accounts of the three banks when the licenses were withdrawn and the money collected later by the liquidators is used to pay the costs incurred in the liquidation process and to service the emergency loans.

● SATURDAY, February 20

Moldova could obtain right to export poultry and Class B eggs to EU

Representatives of the EU in April will perform an audit in the Republic of Moldova to assess the situation in the animal products sector and consider the possibility of authorizing the export of poultry and Class B eggs to the European Union. Acting Prime Minister Aureliu Ciocoi welcomed the EU’s decision in a video conference with Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, EU Commissioner for Trade. According to Aureliu Ciocoi, a decision in favor of the exports of these products has been awaited by Moldovan entrepreneurs.

Maia Sandu: Creation of loan guarantee fund is best solution for farmers

The creation of a loan guarantee fund is the most suitable solution for farmers and for companies from other areas that were dramatically affected by the pandemic crisis, said President Maia Sandu, who had a meeting with representatives of the banking system and farmers. According to President Sandu, the creation of this fund will diminish the risks for banks and will ensure the farmers’ access to resources for financing agricultural works. “We looked together for solutions to support the agricultural sector after last year’s double blow – the COVID-19 crisis and the drought. We agreed that the state’s involvement in solving the problems should be more efficient,” stated the official.