● MONDAY, December 19
Moldova is to be integrated into EU Energy Purchase Platform, Deputy Premier
The Republic of Moldova will be fully integrated into the common EU Energy Purchase Platform. This will enable to diversify the natural gas supply sources and to enhance Moldova’s energy security, stated Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu, who recently returned from the meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community that was held in Vienna.
Chisinau to get over 5m lei following allocation of 14 lots for selling places
More than 5 million lei will be transferred to the budget of Chisinau as a result of the allocation of 14 lots on which to place ambulatory trading units in the municipality at the 18th open tender contest of the kind held on Monday.
Octavian Armașu: Monetary policy was tightened to reduce inflationary shocks
This year has been complicated, with the monetary policy tightened to reduce inflationary shocks, the head of the National Bank noted during a meeting with members of the Romanian Investors Association. Octavian Armașu came with a message of encouragement for overcoming the existing crises and urged representatives of commercial banks to promote the performance of the Moldovan banking system at the international level.
● TUESDAY, December 20
Regional social business hubs to be set up as part of project implemented by Keystone Moldova
Four regional social business hubs, one of which on the left side of the Nistru, will be set up as part of a project that aims to develop social entrepreneurship. Each regional hub will be capacitated in a number of areas and at least 80 social enterprises will be supported by these new hubs.
Level of knowledge of social entrepreneurship among population is reduced, study
The level of knowledge of social entrepreneurship among the general population is reduced. Over 60% of the respondents of a poll haven’t heard or do not know about social entrepreneurship. Even if each fifth interviewed person said that they can define social entrepreneurship, when they were asked to say the name of a social enterprise, only 2% could do it, shows the sociologic survey “Knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in the field of social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova” that was presented by Keystone Moldova.
NAER to consider raising heat charges in Balti municipality
The heat supplied to the inhabitants of the municipality of Balti could cost more. The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) on Wednesday will examine a draft decision concerning the extraordinary adjustment of the price of the produced electrical energy and the charge of heat supplied to consumers by SA “CET Nord”. In its approach, the company asked for a charge of 3,948 lei/Gcal, up from the current charge of 3,052 lei/Gcal. The agenda of the NAER meeting includes the draft decision on the extraordinary adjustment of the price of the charge of heat supplied to consumers by SA “Comgaz-Plus” and to the municipal enterprises “Rețelelor și Centralelor Termice Comrat”; SA “Apă-Canal Chișinău”, “Servicii Comunale Glodeni”, :Antermo” and “Servicii Comunal-Locative” Orhei.
Legal framework for social entrepreneurship should be improved, study
The legal framework for social entrepreneurship should be improved by working out a separate law that would envision the simplification of the process of registering and liquidating social enterprises. State support measures should be clearly defined, such as exemption from VAT, from income tax if the social enterprise works for the public benefit, says the sociologic survey “Knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in the field of social entrepreneurship in the Republic of Moldova” that was presented by Keystone Moldova.
● WEDNESDAY, December 21
Veaceslav Ioniță: 20% of bought food products go to trash can
Food waste in Moldova amounts to over 15.3 billion lei annually. According to economist Veaceslav Ioniță, expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul”, 20% of the food products purchased by Moldovans go to the garbage can. The largest part of food is wasted in urban areas.
New law on insurance or reinsurance takes effect Jan. 1
The new law on insurance or reinsurance activity comes into force on January 1, 2023. The document provides that the minimum capital requirement (own capital) for insurance companies will be raised gradually, over a period of five years. Also, during four years the given companies will have to comply with the normative restrictions concerning the assets allowed for covering technical reserves and the minimum capital requirement.
Online traders obliged to possess places for returned items
The persons involved in online trading will be obliged to possess places for returned merchandise, as a bill to amend the legislation on electronic trade that was endorsed by the Cabinet provides. The consumers will enjoy increased protection in electronic trade. The online traders selling alcoholic products and the personnel responsible for delivery will be obliged to verify the age of the buyer.
EIB allocates €100m for continuing “Moldova Roads III” project
The European Investment Bank (EIB) provides €100 million in addition to the original €150 million loan for the rehabilitation and upgrading of key national road sections under the “Moldova Roads III” project. The Cabinet approved the ratification of the financing contract with the EIB.
Export of Moldovan organic products to EU to be facilitated
The certificates issued for Moldovan agrifood products will be recognized on the European market, while the export of organic products to the EU will be facilitated. The Government approved the draft law on organic agrifood products and labeling of ecological products.
EIB allocates €100m for continuing “Moldova Roads III” project
The European Investment Bank (EIB) provides €100 million in addition to the original €150 million loan for the rehabilitation and upgrading of key national road sections under the “Moldova Roads III” project. The Cabinet approved the ratification of the financing contract with the EIB.
Farmers support subsidization in agriculture by European model, but...
The authorities came with a legislative proposal concerning subsidization in agriculture and rural areas, which contains provisions borrowed from EU practices and from Romania’s experience. The document specifies the support measures and the payments that the farmers will obtain in the subsidization process, a new classification of farmers and the conditions that these need to fulfill. Farmers consider the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry’s proposal is good, but they should get direct payments and the subsidization fund should be much larger for the situation to be similar to that in the EU, IPN reports, with reference to RFE/RL’s Moldovan Service.
Heat energy more expensive in northern and southern Moldova
Consumers in the municipality of Balti will pay more for heat. The National Agency for Energy Regulation on Wednesday approved a charge of 3,905 lei/Gcal without VAT for the heat supplied by SA “CET Nord”, up 28% or 853 lei from the current charge.
● THURSDAY, December 22
Kiril Gaburici shifted from politics to business: We have four photovoltaic parks
Former Prime Minister Kiril Gaburici invests in the sector of renewable energy. Alongside his partners, he created four photovoltaic parks all over Moldova. Gaburici said the business is costly and becomes profitable in only several years of the launch. He noted Moldova should aim to make sure that 30% of the consumed power is produced from renewable sources of energy.
2023 budget centers not on country development, but on management of current crises
Moldova’s budget for next year does not aim to ensure the development of the country, but to overcome the current crises. According to economist Viorel Gîrbu, the 2023 budget is an “emergency” one and is a “chaotic” document that was adopted unreasonably swiftly.
Perpetuation of war in Ukraine is biggest challenge for Moldova in 2023, “Expert-Grup”
The perpetuation of the war in Ukraine is the biggest challenge for the Republic of Moldova in 2023, says a study conducted by the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup”. According to experts, the continuation of the war in the neighboring country and the probability of power outages will maintain uncertainty in Moldova at a high level, while a new refugee crisis will imply new costs for the state budget. Moreover, if the war continues, the prices of energy products will grow further.
Babysitters will be able to work based on patent
The individualized childcare services and the family type childcare services could be provided based on the entrepreneur’s patent, as a law that was adopted by the MPs provides.
Women to get salary and allowance during maternity leave
The women who will work during the maternity leave will be able to receive both salary and maternity benefit. The MPs passed a bill that allows for this on Thursday.
About US$44m for financing state budget
The Republic of Moldova will benefit from almost US$44 million in grant funding for financing state budget needs. Parliament ratified the grant agreement on the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Co-financing of the Moldova Development Policy Program “Emergency, Resilience and Competitiveness Measures”.
Moldovans this November borrowed more money than last November
The new loans provided this November came to 4.353,9 billion lei, an increase of 13% on last November. The loans repayable in two to five years remained the most popular ones with a share of almost 43% of the total loans released. The National Bank of Moldova said that over 64% of the provided loans were released in national currency and added up to 2.799,6 billion lei. Almost 33% of the loans were released in foreign currency (equivalent of 432.8m lei), while near 3% were loans attached to the exchange rate of the currency (121.5m lei).
Individual income tax remains at 12%
In 2023, individual income tax will remain unchanged and flat at 12%. The Government endorsed the amendment proposed by the PAS lawmaker Radu Marian, which scraps the 18% rate for those who earn more than 1 million lei.
Engineering Innovation Park could be created in Moldova
An Engineering Innovation, Research and Development Park could be set up in Moldova. The director of the Investment Agency says that the new entity will be similar to the already existing IT Park, which has led to the creation of over 15 thousand jobs. Marin Ciobanu says that unlike the virtual IT Park, the Engineering Innovation, Research and Development Park will represent a physical platform that will generate over 1000 jobs.
● FRIDAY, December 23
Fuel prices to grow slightly after continuous downward trend
After following a continuous downward trend and decreasing by almost 5 lei/liter in the recent period, fuel prices will now rise slightly. For December 24 – 26, the National Agency for Energy Regulation set a price ceiling of 23.06 lei/liter for diesel fuel and of 22.21 lei/liter for gasoline, down 0.13 lei on today.
Farmers’ association: Agriculture is in serious decline
Agriculture is in a serious decline, is decapitalized and faces multiple problems. It is a situation that cannot be neglected, because agriculture is the strategic branch that represents almost half of the country’s exports, as well as over 35% of jobs. It is the branch that, together with the food industry, contributes directly 21% to the Gross Domestic Product, and 40% indirectly. The statements were made by Farmers’ Force Association during a press conference on Friday.
● SATURDAY, December 24
Dumitru Budianschi: Our country enjoys enormous sympathy in the world
The state budget for next year includes 5.5 billion lei in grant funding provided generously by Moldova’s foreign partners, said Minister of Finance Dumitru Budianschi. According to him, the current government enjoys the foreign partners’ support and this credit of trust should be used to the maximum so that the non-reimbursable financial assistance is substituted with investments in the Republic of Moldova.
NBM offers final data about Moldova’s external debt in 2021
The National Bank of Moldova provided final data about the external debt of the Republic of Moldova in 2021. The gross external debt rose by 7.8% to US$8.765,61 billion. This is 64.1% of the Gross Domestic Product (-6.4 percentage points on December 31, 2020).
