● MONDEY, April 4
Subsidies for animal-breeding sector increased
Increased subsides will be provided for the animal-breeding sector for the first time. Those who breed livestock (cows, sheep and goats) can benefit from subsidies that were raised from 50% to 70% of the value of the investment. Winegrowers and winemakers will also get higher subsidies for setting up support systems and vineyards with types of grapes for wine. There will be subsidized half of the cost of seeds of legumes as national products, but not more than 2,000 lei per hectare. Compensatory payments of 2,500 lei per ha will be paid to education intuitions and research and innovation institutions working in the agricultural sector and to water user associations for using nitrogen-fixing crops and “green fertilizers” for promoting and developing ecological farming in Moldova. This decision was adopted by the Cabinet on April 4 provides.
Interest on loans and all related fees should be displayed in a font three times larger
The lending institutions will be obliged to post the annual percentage rate (APR), plus all the related commissions, with characters that will be three times larger than other information mentioned in advertisements. One more provision of the bill says the bank will be obliged to electronically notify the client if the interest rate applied by the bank on new loans is decreased so that the beneficiary could renegotiate the loan agreement depending on the fluctuations in the average interest rate in the banking sector. This bill was approved by the Cabinet stipulates.
● TUESDAY, April 5
Crops can be affected by forecast ground frost, ministry
The ground frost forecast for the immediate period can affect the crops, primarily the blooming ones. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry informed about the possible risks and the measures that should be taken to protect the sowed areas and orchards. Frosts damage trees in bloom, sometimes destroying almost the entire crop, and the most at risk are: apricot, peach, cherry, cherry, apple, walnut, and hazel. Thus, experts recommend growing frost-sensitive plants on southern or southwestern slopes. The soil surface can be heated by irrigation or hot air. The application of these measures is differentiated according to weather and local conditions, as well as possible material costs.
Apple Pay is now available in Moldova
The Apple Pay service has become available in the Republic of Moldova, according to Pervoistochnik, a Telegram channel for verifying government information. Apple Pay is a mobile payment system and e-wallet that allows users to make payments in iOS mobile apps and on a computer through the Safari app. You need to download the application, run it, enter your phone number and card details.
● WEDNESDAY, April 6
Sergiu Gaibu: Some imports from Ukraine were resumed
After representatives of the Government earlier spoke about a modest economic growth of 0.3%, now Minister of Economy Sergiu Gaibu said that this year the Republic of Moldova will see economic stagnation. The official noted the exports to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine remain blocked, but the economic relations with Ukraine were partially restored and a part of the imports were resumed. The financial assistance for Moldova announced at the press conference in Berlin on Tuesday will be used to implement infrastructure projects and as budget support.
PAS proposes reducing number of members of NCFM Administration Board
The MPs of the Party of Action and Solidarity suggest that the number of members of the Administration Board of the National Commission for Financial Markets (NCFM) should be decreased from five to three. According to them, this would make the institution more efficient and would generate savings of about 5 million lei.
EU steps up its support for Moldova with an additional €53 million
Following the Ministerial Conference held in Berlin to launch the Moldova Support Platform established by Germany, France and Romania, the European Union initiates a budget support program for the immediate period. This information is mentioned in the press release of EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova. Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, announced an additional EUR 53 million to help the Republic of Moldova cope with the multiple repercussions of the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. This support will take the form of a budget support program to be delivered as quickly as possible.
Land owners can apply for subsidies as from April 11
The owners of land during April 11 – July 7 can file applications to get subsidies in advance for projects to prevent and reduce soil erosion, to ensure the chemical amelioration of soil and to conserve and improve soil fertility. A sum of 10 million lei was earmarked this year for providing such subsidies. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, the subsidies are intended for private individuals and legal entities and for cities and towns that own, use or lease out lots of land included in the publicity registers, which are to implement the project in a territorial-administrative unit of the first level.
European Commission seeks to negotiate road transport agreements with Moldova and Ukraine
The European Commission today has requested the EU Council to authorize the opening of negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova with a view to concluding road freight transport agreements between the EU and both countries, the European External Action Service said in a press release. Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, said that the agreements aim to partly liberalize road transport for their hauliers in the EU. This will allow Ukraine to shift important export goods from sea routes – currently unavailable due to the Russian military aggression.
● THURSDAY, April 7
NAER approves natural gas trading platform operated by SRL “BRM East Energy”
The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) approved the natural gas trading platform operated by SRL “BRM East Energy” for a period of three years. According to the institution, the platform is created with the aim of improving liquidity and transparency on the wholesale natural gas market in the Republic of Moldova and of increasing its attractiveness for potential new suppliers.
Number of 4G mobile Internet users up by 21%
In 2021, the total number of users who accessed 4G mobile Internet increased by 21% on the previous year, amounting to almost 2 million people. 95% accessed mobile Internet through smartphones, and almost 90,000 used dedicated mobile Internet (via modems/cards), show data from the National Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Agency (ANRCETI).
● FRIDAY, April 8
Cost of loan will not be higher than total value of this, law
The bill providing for the capping of the cost of a loan and regulating the principles of assessing the creditworthiness of loan beneficiaries was adopted by the MPs after giving it a final reading. This amends the law on banking activity and the law on nonbank lending organizations. Under the amendments, the interest rate specified in the loan agreement will be capped to at most 50%. The other costs, such as commissions, taxes, penalties and delay penalties, and any other type of payment included in the total cost of the loan, except the interest, for a loan day will not be higher than 0.04 percentage points of the total value of the loan.
Poland stands ready to import a part of Moldovan products
Poland is willing to buy a part of the exported Moldova products so as to offset the losses caused by the partial closure of the Eastern markets due to the war. The issue was discussed in a meeting of Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița and the President of the Warsaw Agricultural and Food Wholesale Market Janusz Byliński and Undersecretary of State of the Ministry of State Assets Jan Kanthak in Warsaw. The interlocutors discussed possibilities of extending the export of Moldovan products to the EU market and of identifying solutions for overcoming the economic crisis generated by the war in Ukraine.
Andrei Spînu: Gazprom does not respond to us and we prepare plan B in case gas supplies are halted
Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said the Republic of Moldova does not have any response from Gazprom as to the termination of the contract for the supply of gas as from May 1. As the actions of the Russian company are unpredictable, the Government is seriously preparing for the purchase of gas from alternative sources. If the Republic of Moldova is put in the situation to buy gas and electrical power at the market price, this will be the price of Moldova’s independence.
Over 80% of wine made in Moldova last year was exported
Some 83% of the wine made in Moldova in 2021 was exported to 71 countries. The wine exported last year came to 120.7 million liters, down 12% on 2020. The data were presented in the National Wine Industry Conference “Wine Year 2021”.
Official reserve assets declined
The official reserve assets at the end of March totaled $3.432,43 billion, down $248.09 million compared with February 28, 2022, when these came to $3.680,52 billion. According to National Bank of Moldova, the decrease was due to payments made to service Moldova’s foreign debt, of $15.95 million, to net interventions on the domestic foreign exchange market in the form of foreign exchange sales, of $232.80 million, to the depreciation of the exchange rates of the component currencies of foreign exchange reserves in relation to the US dollar, with a loss of $9.59 million, to the Ministry of Finance’ payments, of €6.87million.
Switzerland donates electrocardiographs and pulse oximeters to 25 districts of Moldova
State-of-the-art electrocardiographs and pulse oximeters have been donated by Switzerland to health centers in 25 districts of Moldova. The donation includes 197 electrocardiographs and 445 pulse oximeters, which will be distributed to 142 health centers. The donation is estimated at 330,670 Swiss francs.
● SATURDAY, April 9
Economic cooperation remains priority of dialogue with the Netherlands, Deputy Premier
The cooperation, including economic one, which brings definite and direct benefits to the citizens, is a priority of the dialogue with the Netherlands, said Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, who had a meeting with the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Liesje Schreinemacher.
National health watchdog initiates withdrawal of lots of Kinder chocolate from sale
The National Food Safety Agency started the procedure for withdrawing several lots of Kinder products from sale in connection with the multi-country Salmonella outbreak linked to chocolate products that is investigated by European public health and food safety authorities. The Agency said none of the Kinder products sold in Moldova tested positive for salmonella. The decision to withdraw the lots is a precautionary measure.
