● MONDAY, February 20

How much excises on tobacco products will increase during three years

The excise duties on tobacco products in 2017- 2019 will be adjusted to the rate of inflation of about 5% forecast for these three years. This is provided in the medium-term fiscal and customs policy document. In parallel, an excise duty of 350 lei + 12%, but not less than 460 lei will be put on 1,000 filter cigarettes in 2017. In 2018, the excise rate will increase to 400 lei + 12%, but not less than 520 lei, while in 2019 to 450 de lei + 12%, but not less than 580 lei. Minister of Finance Octavian Armasu said the excise duties on tobacco products are increased in a move to protect the people’s health and to increase the budget revenues.

National Bureau of Statistics asked to provide foreign trade statistics in euro

Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmac, Minister of Economy, requested the administration of the National Bureau of Statistics to consider the possibility of presenting statistics on foreign trade in euro. The official explained that Moldova’s exports to the EU during the last few years rose to over 65% of the total exports. Also, the commercial exchanges with other countries are also expressed in the EU currency. According to Octavian Calmac, this will help simplify the calculation of the exported and imported volumes of goods and the process of processing data, including in the context of the objectives assumed by Moldova through the Association Agreement and DCFTA with the EU. 

Legal entities can submit tax returns by March 27

The legal entities, regardless of the organizational form, are obliged to present tax returns for 2016 by March 27 this year. This also refers to individual enterprises and farmsteads. The functionary told a news conference that the State Tax Service extended the working program for March 22-24 of employees involved in the receipt of tax returns by two hours. Thus, the legal entities will be able to submit tax returns until 7pm. March 25, which falls on a Saturday, will be working day, until 5pm, while on March 26 the offices of the State tax Service will work until 1pm. March 27 is the last day when legal entities can present tax returns.

● TUESDAY, February 21

Gasoline goes up in price, diesel fuel is cheapened

The National Agency for Energy Regulation announced the fuel price ceilings for the next two weeks. As of February 22, the price of gasoline will be higher, while of diesel fuel will decrease insignificantly. A liter of gasoline coded 95 will cost at most 18.21 lei, by 0.06 lei less than until now. The price ceiling for diesel fuel was set at 15.65 lei, as opposed to 15.67 lei during the past two weeks.

Termoelectrica will repay historical debts in 20 years, deputy minister

Termoelectrica will repay its historical debts to Moldovagaz during the next 20 years, Deputy Minister of Economy Valeriu Triboi told a news conference. In 2016, Termoelectrica for the first time managed to fully pay for the gas supplied by Moldovagaz in the course of the year. This shows that the modernization of the system follows a correct path, said the official. Termoelectrica owes 2.8 billion lei to Moldovagaz. The debt dates from the 1990s and is large because it appeared as a result of the transfer of the debts of Termocom, CET-1 and CET-2 to it, stated the deputy minister.

Farm animal genetic resources to be improved

The authorities aim to improve the genetic resources of farm animals in Moldova, in particular of dairy cattle, within a project of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). As part of this initiative, 50 artificial insemination operators of the National Institute of Animal Genetics Research and Reproduction based in Maximovca village of Anenii Noi district are taking part in a two-day seminar on artificial insemination techniques. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Iurie Usurelu said the improvement of the genetic resources will lead to the improvement of cattle and milk production and will increase the profitability of farmers. The farmers, including female ones, will be the final beneficiaries of the project as they will benefit from specialized services for breeding dairy cattle.

● WEDNESDAY, February 22

Law on Capital Liberalization poses a threat to Moldova, experts

The Law on Capital Liberalization, if it is adopted, will pose an increased risk to the Republic of Moldova, even greater than the penal amnesty in Romania, which generated mass protests in the neighboring country. Such a conclusion was formulated in the talk show “Politics” on TV 7 channel. Economic analyst Victor Ciobanu said this bill is aimed at legalizing the US$1 billion stolen from banks, whose return was made the people’s burden. “The stolen US$1 billion has to be legalized somehow and this could be done by those involved by paying a symbolic tax. The way is paved for this law to apply not only to the Moldovan oligarchs. Simultaneously, a bill to amend the Law on Nationality was drafted. Any foreigner will be able to take Moldovan nationality if they deposit US$1 million in a Moldovan bank. This way, foreign citizens will also be able to legalize money of a suspicious origin. Despite the criticism, I don’t think they will give up this bill. It will be rather modified, but will be anyway adopted,” stated Ciobanu.

State Tax Service to be reorganized

The Ministry of Finance proposed the draft regulations concerning the activity of the State Tax Service and the reorganization and absorption of the State Main Tax Inspectorate and the 36 local tax inspectorates for public debates. As of April 1 this year, the State Tax Service will work as a specialized body of the central public administration, which will be a public institution with the status of legal entity managed by the Ministry of Finance. The main duties of the State Tax Service are to ensure the observance of the legislation and uniform implementation of the fiscal policies and regulations all over the country.

New USAID project to enhance competitiveness of agriculture

A new project of assistance for the agriculture sector, supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), was launched on February 22. The High Value Agriculture Activity Project is designed to help Moldovan agricultural producers and entrepreneurs to become more competitive and flexible to the necessities of consumers so as to make use of the opportunities of the local, regional and international markets. Attending the launch, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the launched project is important for an important sector that ensures the population’s food security and employs a large number of people. He thanked the U.S. for the constant support provided to Moldova during the 25 years of the establishment of bilateral cooperation relations, which exceeded US$1.4 billion. The Premier reiterated that Moldova follows the path of European integration and aims to implement the values shared in the EU.

Building and reconstruction of five power lines declared works of public utility

The Government decided that the building and reconstruction of five power lines within the project to rehabilitate the power transportation networks of IS Moldelectrica will be considered works of public utility. The five power lines are: 110 kV Soldanesti–Ignatei line of 22 km; 110 kV Drochia–Suri line of 14.3 km; 110 kV Suri-Donduseni line of 23.6 km; 110kV Chisinau–Hancesti line of 25.5 km and 110kV Hancesti–Cneazevca line of 42.7 km. They are 130 km long overall. The designing works were completed and a contact is to be signed with the winner of the bidding contest. Over €5.3 million will be used to build and reconstruct the lines. The money was provided by the EBRD and the Neighborhood Investment Fund as a grant. The project will last for at most 24 months.

Japan offers grant to Moldova to develop conservation agriculture

Moldova will receive a grant of about US$4.8 million from Japan for implementing the project “Conservation agriculture, development of a sustainable soil management system in the Republic of Moldova”. On February 22, the Government of Moldova decided to initiate negotiations on the grant agreement and sign it later. The project envisions the purchase of equipment and machinery for conservation agriculture.

Moldova to negotiate abandonment of transport authorizations for Euro III with Ukraine

The Government constituted a working group that will hold negotiations on the abandonment of bilateral and transit road transport authorizations for motor vehicles that meet the Euro III and higher norms with the Ukrainian side. The group will be led by Deputy Minister of Transport Sergei Bucataru. According to Minister Iurie Chirinciuc, the Moldovan haulers face problems when applying for authorization for transporting goods in Ukraine and not only, given that 80% of the transit goods are taken to other Eastern European and Asian states through Ukraine. Last year the competent authorities of Moldovan for three times asked Ukraine to increase the number of issued authorities, but the procedure lasted long.

● THURSDAY, February 23

Gazprom to announce price of gas for Moldova by end-February

By the end of this month, Gazprom will announce the purchase price of natural gas for the Republic of Moldova for 2017. Judging by the international trends, the price should be lower than last year, said Minister of Economy Octavian Calmac. Last year the price was of US$176 per thousand cubic meters of gas. “The price is calculated based on the formula defined in the contract signed with Gazprom. A basket of energy resources is taken into account and the evolution of the prices of these resources is followed during the past nine months,” explained the minister.

Tourism Agency, Competition Council sign cooperation agreement

The Tourism Agency and the Competition Council have signed a two-year agreement of cooperation in the hotel sector in a move to identify the problems encountered in the field and to contribute to their solving. The signatories also aim to stage workshops, roundtable and joint meetings to propose amending the legislation regulating the hotel sector. “We received requests from foreign investors that want to set up new accommodation facilities and they often inquiry about the classification, rules of the game and how the activity of other such facilities is monitored,” said the Tourism Agency’s director Stanislav Rusu.

Moldova interested in consolidated relationship with World Economic Forum, PM

The Republic of Moldova is interested in a consolidated relationship with the World Economic Forum. In a meeting with the WEF executive director Philipp Rosler, Prime Minister Pavel Filip discussed possibilities of ensuring sustainable cooperation with the Davos forum. “We would like to bring the Republic of Moldova into the focus of the big global political and economic players and to attract more foreign investment to the county,” stated Pavel Filip. The Premier said the Republic of Moldova signed an agreement with the IMF and managed to unblock the financing provided by the World Bank and the European Union. “The Government has an ambitious reform agenda and aims to make 2017 the year of building and development,” he noted.

First twinning project launched in subsidization area

The first twinning project in the subsidization area, to the value of €1.2 million, was launched in Chisinau on February 23. The goal of the EU-funded project is to develop the subsidization system in Moldova and strengthen the capacities of the Agency fir Intervention and Payments in Agriculture managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. The two-year project will be implemented by the Agency fir Intervention and Payments in Agriculture in cooperation with the twinning partners – the consortium consisting of AgrarMarkt Austria (senior partner) and the Czech State Agricultural Intervention Fund and the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture of Poland (junior partners).

● FRIDAY, February 24

State to privatize property worth 1.3bn lei 
 

State-owned property to the value of 1.3 billion lei will be privatized this year. In a press release, the Public Property Agency says a new privatization round will be held based on a number of legal instruments. Eleven properties, including four state-run companies, six complexes of buildings and an unfinished building, will be exhibited at outcry auctions for 13.4 million lei. Bids can be submitted by March 21, while the auction will be held on March 22. A commercial contest will be staged to privatize 13 properties, including 12 state-run companies (undividable patrimonial complexes) and a building, for a total price of 577.9 million lei. The deadline for submissions is March 30.

Facilitated procedure for issuing permits of stay to foreign IT experts 

The MPs passed in the first reading a bill that envisions a simplified procedure for issuing permits of stay to foreigners specialized in information technology. This applies to persons with executive posts, investors and highly-qualified specialists. The bill was drafted by Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu. According to him, the persons holding executive posts will be able to perform the assigned activities based on copies of the national passport, records of punishment from the country of origin and the document showing their powers for a period of six months during any period of 12 months.

● SATURDAY, February 25

 AIPA awards farmers who achieved tangible results 

The agricultural producers who achieved noticeable results by the investment made with the support of the state and brought added value to the national economy were awarded in the 2017 AIPA Gala in the evening of February 24. The event was organized by the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA) and brought together agricultural producers, representatives of public institutions, agricultural associations and companies and of the agroindustrial business community. The National Farmers Federation of Moldova became the winner of the award “Professional association of the year”. SRL “Impex business grup” was awarded for innovations in agriculture. The title of Young Farmer of 2017 was conferred on the peasant farmstead Scutaru Victor, who grows apples on an area of 66 hectares. Olga Serbushko was named the most successful woman of 2017. In the gala, there were also awarded the most cooperative bank supporting farmers and the most successful investment in developing the post-harvest and processing infrastructure.