● MONDAY, December 18
State social insurance budget was 91.3% fulfilled
Revenues totaling 35.458,4 billion lei were collected into the state social insurance budget in the first 11 months of this year. This is 91.3% of the approved annual plan.
52 million lei accumulated from rental income tax
Tax revenues from individuals who rent out property amounted to 52 million lei in 11 months of this year, over 40% more than in the same period of last year.
TUESDAY, December 19
Farmers seek stable mechanism to limit import of grain and oilseeds
The Association “Force of Farmers” demands that the Government should introduce a stable and sustainable mechanism for limiting the import of grain and oilseeds, similar to those instituted in Romania and Bulgaria.
Polish Development Banks lends to Moldova to support SMEs
The Polish Development Bank (BGK) offers Moldova a €5 million loan for the capitalization of the Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth Fund. This is a state-supported fund through which small and medium-sized enterprises have access to long-term funding in preferential conditions. The European Union will cover the largest part of the interest rate on this loan so that the most attractive conditions are offered to entrepreneurs, director of the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA) Dumitru Pîntea stated in the signing of the loan agreement between the Government of the Republic of Moldova and the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) of Poland.
"Let's create an attractive capital market on the inside." IPN interview with Alexandru Savva, advisor to the NBM
The current level of the capital market creates pressure on other segments of the financial market. Connections need to be created in both directions to allow not only the export of financial instruments, but also the attraction of foreign instruments into the domestic market. These and other statements of the advisor of the NBM, Alexandru Savva, in the interview.
● WEDNESDAY, December 20
IOM Moldova stages International Migrants Days celebration in Chisinau
The International Migrants Day was celebrated in Chisinau under the theme “Act Today”. An award ceremony was held as part of the event organized by the International Organization for Migration to Moldova (IOM Moldova), which highlighted the contribution of the Moldovan diaspora to supporting Moldova’s socioeconomic development.
Grain import between fears and prospects
After disturbing public opinion for several months, the subject of Ukrainian grain in Moldova goes beyond the realm of assumptions and suspicions.
Economic convergence is essential for Moldova's accession to the EU. Op-Ed by Stanislav Ghiletchi
Continuing legislative harmonization with the European acquis and strengthening institutional capacities in the absence of a strategic vision of accelerated economic development of the Republic of Moldova will not allow achieving convergence indicators with the EU, an essential criterion for the Republic of Moldova to be ready for accession to the EU by 2030…
● THURSDAY, December 21
How much renewable energy is there in Moldova and how much can be?
The Republic of Moldova consumes 4 million MWh of electricity annually. Households account for 45% of this amount, while the industry for only 15%. Such consumption structure generates peak consumption of about 700 MW in the morning and evening, when everyone prepares for a working day or returns home and plugs in all the appliances they may need. Instead, at night consumption drops to 180 MW.
Moldova cannot integrate into the energy system more wind energy than the minimum consumption at night and more solar energy than the maximum consumption during the day, reads an article of the Ministry of Energy, which is quoted by IPN.
Average official monthly salary for 2024 forecast at 13,700 lei
The size of the average monthly salary in the economy forecast for 2024 increases by 2,000 lei - from 11,700 to 13,700 lei. A decision to this effect was approved by the Cabinet.
Moldova is better prepared for heating season than last year, minister
The Republic of Moldova is now better prepared for the heating season than last year. Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov said that sufficient gas reserves for the entire winter were accumulated and a one-year contract for the purchase of electricity at affordable prices was signed.
Energy Efficiency Agency turns into National Center for Sustainable Energy
The Energy Efficiency Agency will become the National Center for Sustainable Energy on January 1, 2024. The Centre will manage the Residential Energy Efficiency Fund, which is a mechanism for financing public sector institutions, and also a series of public registers regarding energy efficiency and renewable energy statistics. A decision to this effect was approved by the Cabinet on Thursday.
Government authorizes construction of two new cogeneration plants
The Government has given the green light for the construction of two new efficient cogeneration plants with a total capacity of 55 MW of electricity and at least 43 Gcal/h of thermal energy. They will replace the former thermoelectric plant CET-1 that was put into operation in 1951 and will contribute to increasing the internal electricity production capacity.
● FRIDAY, December 22
Octavian Armașu dismissed from post of National Bank governor
Octavian Armașu was discharged from the office of governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM). A draft decision providing for this was adopted by the votes of 81 MPs on the evening of December 21.
Mark Horton: Progress can be felt quickly in a small country
Economic progress can be felt quickly in a small country like Moldova. In this regard, the authorities should improve the implementation of the budget and really start to build the dynamic of this is where the country is going and this is how they are going to get there, that will even overcome some of the risks and uncertainties around the regional environment, Mark Horton, Deputy Director of the European Department of the International Monetary Fund, stated in the podcast “Give Sense to Money”.
Mark Horton about IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility
The IMF needed to be more present in responding to the climate challenge and it therefore put together the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF). The aim is that the IMF helps to bring climate challenges and energy sector challenges into the macro-framework as strongly as possible, Mark Horton, Deputy Director of the European Department of the International Monetary Fund, stated in the podcast “Give Sense to Money”.
Relations between Moldova and IMF are the strongest they have been in 30 years, IMF official
Relations between Moldova and the International Monetary Fund are excellent and probably they are the strongest they have been in 30 years, Mark Horton, Deputy Director of the IMF’s European Department, stated in the podcast “Give Sense to Money”.
NBM puts commemorative coin “European Moldova” into circulation
The National Bank of Moldova puts into circulation the commemorative coin “European Moldova”, which will complete the series “Historic events”, starting with January 2. The coin is devoted to a historic event for Moldova – the decision to give the greenlight for the opening of accession negotiations with the European Union, taken by the European Council on December 14, 2023.
Cheaper heat for consumers in Chisinau and Balti
The residents of Chisinau and Balti will pay less for heat energy. The National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) approved a charge of 2,774 lei/Gcal (without VAT) for heat energy supplied by Termoelectrica company, 493 lei down from 3,267 lei/Gcal (without VAT).
Operational period of IT Park of Moldova to be extended until 2035
The operational period of the IT Park of the Republic of Moldova will be extended until 2035 by keeping the single tax of 7%. Parliament gave a second reading to a bill to amend the law on information technology parks.
Energy minister proposes reducing bills by optimizing consumption
If we had brought buildings up to the current energy performance average of the European Union, we would have already been able to halve bills given the current energy prices, said Minister of Energy Victor Parlicov. He noted that in Moldova, over 50% of all the energy consumed nationwide goes on building maintenance. On average, two times more energy than in EU countries is consumed to maintain one square meter of building in Moldova.
2024 state budget given a second reading
The state budget for 2024 was given a second reading by Parliament. Revenues were estimated at 66.632 billion lei, up 1.3% compared with the current year, while the expenditure was projected at 82.222 billion lei, a 2.2% decrease. The state budget deficit is 15.90 billion lei or 4.6% of the GDP. The state debt at the end of 2024 is forecast at 125.525,6 billion lei, 64.5% of which is the external state debt and 35.5% is the internal state debt.
National minimum salary raised to 5,000 lei from January 1
The national minimum salary as from January 1, 2024 will be 5,000 lei, up from 4,000 lei, and will be applied both in the public sector and in the real sector. Respectively, employees who will have salaries lower than 5,000 lei will benefit from compensatory payments. This is provided in a bill to amend the law on the unitary salary system in the public sector, which was given a final reading by Parliament.
Amendments to legislation on road transport given final reading
The administration of road transport is to be decentralized and the duties to agree and modify the interdistrict transport schedule will be transferred from the central specialized body to the National Road Transport Agency. The amendments to the legislation on road transport were give a final reading by the MPs on Friday.
Anca-Dana Dragu appointed National Bank governor
Anca-Dana Dragu has been appointed governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM), and concurrently president of the central bank’s Supervisory Board and the Executive Committee, for a term of seven years. The appointment was approved by Parliament with 58 votes from the PAS majority.
Armașu’s sudden dismissal ‘raises concerns about due process’, says IMF official
The hearings and decision to dismiss the Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, Octavian Armaşu, took place very quickly, noted Svetlana Cerović, the Resident Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Moldova, in a statement issued Friday. This, according to her, raises concerns about due process: proper and thorough professional and legal investigation and assessment.
● SATURDAY, December 23
Anca Dragu: I want to ensure independence and integrity of NBM
With experience in the financial and banking sector, in public policies and accession to the European Union, Anca Dragu, freshly voted in as governor of the National Bank of Moldova, told TVR News that she wants to ensure the independence and integrity of the institution and that she wants to support Moldova in its European journey.
ANRE slaps Nordgaz Furnizare with three-month suspension
The National Energy Regulation Agency (ANRE) has suspended the license of Nordgaz Furnizare SRL for a period of three months, following a formal complaint by the gas transport operator Vestmoltransgaz.
Vestmoltransgaz complained in particular that Nordgaz Furnizare, without having injected quantities of gas of its own, has started unauthorized deliveries to its consumers by siphoning off gas from the national system.
ANRE also noted that Nordgaz Furnizare has so far failed to register as an authorized participant in the wholesale natural gas market, a legal requirement for reserving natural gas transport capacity.
In October, Gagauzia governor Yevgeniya Gutsul promised gas to her constituents, and also to people in Taraclia and Orhei, at a preferential rate of 10 lei. Nordgaz Furnizare was supposed to act as the supplier. The authorities in Chisinau said the promise was unfeasible.
