● MONDAY, March 11
Assistance when submitting tax returns electronically
The taxpayers who practice entrepreneurial activities and who should submit the tax returns by March 25 can benefit from consultancy and technical assistance from operators of the Call Center of the Center of Information Technology in Finance as regards the presentation of tax returns/reports to the State Tax Service electronically. The State Tax Service said the tax returns should be submitted electronically by the subjects registered as VAT payers that perform professional activities in the justice sector, are residents of IT parks and taxpayers that have five or more employees.
EU is key destination for Moldovan products, analysis
The European market is the main destination for the products from the Republic of Moldova. In 2006-2014, Moldova’s exports to the EU represented about 50% of all its exports, but rose from 61.9% in 2015 to 68.8% in 2018 following the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with the EU. Economist of the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup” Alexandru Fală, in an analysis of the EU’s role in stimulating Moldova’s exports, said the exports in 2000 – 2018 increased in value from US$165.3 million to US$ 1.86 billion.
Fuel prices will be set again by fuel sellers
Fuel sellers will independently set and modify the retail prices of the main fuel products and liquefied petroleum gas, depending on consumption and sale costs, in accordance with the applied accounting standards, with an anual markup of an most 10%. This is provided in the new fuel pricing methodology that was approved by the National Agency for Energy Regulatory (ANRE) on March 11. According to the ANRE, the methodology was worked out taking into account a number of principles, including covering of the real cost of fuel products and liquefied petroleum gas, customs duties, transportation, storage and sale costs and environmental protection costs. The price will include a markup needed for enabling companies to work, developing fair competition and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of consumers.
● WEDNESDAY, March 13
Civil Aviation Authority suspends air operations with Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 aircraft
The Civil Aviation Authority of Moldova suspended the air operations with Boeing 737-8 and 737-9 model aircraft. As of March 13, 10am (universal coordinated hour), all the national and foreign airlines that operate flights to, from and above Moldova are banned from using aircraft of the models Boeing 737-8 and 737-9. According to the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, the directive comes as a preventive measure to ensure the safety of passengers, crews and persons on ground in Moldova following the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 8 shortly after takeoff last Sunday, when all 157 on board were killed - just months after a Lion Air crash of the same model crashed and killed 189 people in Indonesia.
Shares in BC Moldindconbank SA put up for auction
The Public Property Agency exhibited there newly issued shares of the bank of systemic importance BC Moldindconbank SA as an undividable holding for sale at outcry auctions on the regulated market of the Moldova Stock Exchange. The holding of 3 173 751 shares bought by the Agency is sold at the initial price of 240.74 lei apiece, as opposed to the price of 239,5 lei a share paid by the state.
Almost 1,000 owners caught leasing out accommodations without a contract
More than 700 private individuals in the first two months of this year complied with the legislation on the leasing out of accommodations, the state budget being supplemented with 66,200 lei in basic payments as a result. In the period, fiscal inspectors calculated 3,300 lei penalties and 12,100 lei fines. According to the State Tax Service, the fiscal inspectors in January – February identified 962 private individuals-owners who lease out accommodations without a contact and initiated procedures to make these comply with the law. The cases are identified in cooperation with the police and apartment building managers.
Tax exemptions for persons who practice activities that represent state monopoly
The persons who practice activities that are declared state monopolies by law will be exempted from paying the tax on commercial units or the service provision tax. An amendment to this effect to the Tax Code is contained in one of the bills for which the Government assumed responsibility before Parliament. The informative note to the bill says the local public authorities continue to approve tax rates for gaming activities. In most of the cases these are not based on a comprehensive study that would confirm the necessity of setting particular rates, especially because gaming activities, except for casino running, are a state monopoly. The setting of excessive rates for such activities essentially diminishes the revenues of the business entity empowered to organize and perform gaming activities.
Fuel prices go down
A number of filling stations in Chisinau posted lower fuel prices. The price of gasoline is by 0.50 lei lower, of diesel fuel by 0.15 lei lower, while of liquefied petroleum gas by about 0.40 lei lower. Gasoline coded 92 costs 18.27 lei a liter, while that coded 95 – 18.37 lei. Diesel fuel costs about 16.60 lei a liter, while liquefied petroleum gas – approximately 10.70 lei.
More than 150 producers and processors featured at “Moldagrotech”
The agricultural season was launched today, March 13, by the opening of the 36rd, spring edition of the exhibition “Moldagrotech”. Over 150 companies from nine countries will display their offer of innovations, technologies and equipment for the agro-industrial sector, phytosanitary products and fertilizers at the exhibitions center “Moldexpo” during March 13-16. Eleonora Nistor, manager for Moldova of an Italian consultancy company, said they came to the exhibition to inform the agricultural producers that grow cherries, apples and strawberries that they can benefit from consultancy starting with planting and ending with sorting, packing and canning.
Some of public procurement procedures in Moldova are contrary law, roundtable meeting
Some of the public procurement procedures in Moldova are not compliant with the law as the information about how the public funds are used is not transparent, the president of the Association for Efficient and Responsible Governance (AGER) stated in a roundtable meeting, being. According to Olesea Stamate, under the new law on public procurement, the contracting authorities are obliged to include representatives of civil society in the working group, but some of these refuse to do this. Among other violations are the indication of the stipulation “with dedication” for goods that are to be purchased. This was done by the National Integrity Authority for the purchase of printers and computers and also by the Court of Auditors, which worked out specifications that refer to a particular brand, namely the last model of Iphone.
● THURSDAY, March 14
Grape fair in central Chisinau, producers halve prices
About 20 agricultural producers will take part in a grape fair in the square of the Metropolitan Cathedral “God’s Birth” in Chisinau on March 24. The producers that in March remained with the cold storage facilities full of grapes will exhibit “Moldova” and white sorts for about 50 lei per a container of 8.5 kg. Last year a kilogram of grapes was 12.5 lei. Producer Diana Crudu, who proposed holding such an event, has told the fair is staged in Chisinau as the capital city has a greater purchasing power than other localities. It is an opportunity for buyers to purchase grapes at symbolic prices, especially during Lent, when the people eat mainly vegetal products and are willing to do good things.
Authorities aim to halve food waste
The authorities intend to reduce the food waste per capita by 30% over ten years and by 50% over 15 years. The objectives for achieving such results will be included in a bill on the diminution of food waste that will be drafted by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure. The Ministry said that by this bill they aim to ensure an optimal legal framework for preventing food waste in Moldova, by encouraging private individuals and legal entities and also public institutions to reduce the quantity of food waste.
Revenues in IT Park expected to be by 40% higher this year
The authorities estimate the revenues in the Moldova IT Park this year will be by about 40% higher compared with last year and will total 2.6 billion lei. According to Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Kiril Gaburici, this shows that the information technology market develops dynamically. In a meeting with the administration and residents of the Moldova IT Park, the minister said the IT sector in Moldova develops steadily and the model of the virtual IT Park is the key stimulator in this process. During a year, the IT Park registered 339 active residents with sales revenues of about 2 billion lei. The revenues were thus by about 77 million lei higher than the forecasts. Both exports and local sales rose significantly in the course of 2018, exceeding the projected values.
● FRIDAY, March 15
Iurie Eremia: Consumers in Moldova lay emphasis on justice
The consumers in Moldova file an increasing number of complaints to the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance when their rights are violated. The complaints are now more intelligent and justified. “The lower or higher price of the product does not really matter. The consumers just want justice,” the Agency’s director Iurie Eremia stated. According to Iurie Eremia, there are consumers who take no action after they submit a complaint to the Agency. Some of the complaints received by the Agency are not within its remit and these are referred to competent institutions. Most often the Moldovans complain about noncompliant appliances. More complaints have been submitted about services provided in tourism, aviation and finance, concerning the quality and quantity of fuel and related to other areas, such as building and public utilities.
19 public property facilities privatized last year
As many as 19 public property facilities, including state-owned shareholdings in five joint stock companies, were privatized in the course of 2018. The Public Property Agency said 366.035,5m lei revenues from privatization were transferred to the state budget last year. The costs related to the process of denationalizing public property facilities came to 1.399,2m lei. Three commercial contests, two investment contests, three outcry auctions and two rounds of auctions on the regulated market of the Stock Exchange to privatize 70 public property facilities were held last year. Among the 19 privatized public property facilities, including state-owned shareholdings, were SA “Drumuri-Bălți” – 96.53% of shares, SC “Gara Nord” SA – 85%, SA “Natur-Telecon” – 16.96%, dairy factory SA “Fabrica de produse lactate din Nisporeni” – 19.70%, and SA “Basarabia-Nord” – 0.07%.
Energy regulator says there are no reasons for increasing gas tariffs for end users
The National Agency for Energy Regulation said there are no reasons for raising the natural gas tariffs for end users given that the operator SA Moldovagaz made no such requests. The comment was made after the press reported that Gazprom increased the price of natural gas supplied to Moldova. In a press release, the Agency said that for the tariffs to be adjusted, SA Moldovagaz should present the relevant calculations with plausible arguments. Also, under the law on natural gas, the administration board of the Agency is obliged to examine the applications concerning the basic costs, prices and regulated tariffs within 180 calendar days of the registration of the application.
Measures to obtain right to export poultry and eggs of category B to EU
The National Food Safety Agency is to present comprehensive information about the accreditation of laboratories according to the ISO 17025 international standard and the preparedness of national operators that manufacture products of animal origin. The activity forms part of the actions set tether with the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, which are to be implemented during a week. The subject was discussed in a working meeting called by Minister Kiril Gaburici to assess the implementation of the short-term action plan for obtaining the right to export poultry and eggs of category B to the EU. The transit of composite products through the European Union was another subject raised in the meeting.
Farmers advised to invest in quality and postharvest
The farmers are encouraged to invest in quality and postharvest and to start work with shop chains. The call was made in the general assembly of the Farmers Federation of the Republic of Moldova. According to the Federation’s executive director Aurelia Bondari, the farmers should be educated so that they start to work with supermarket chains, which impose very strict conditions concerning the quality. At the same time, state policies to facilitate the development of the market and to stimulate farmers to export are needed.
More consumers complain about noncompliance of intelligent products
A rising number of consumers complain about the noncompliance of “intelligent” products to the National Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance. Last year, the Agency received 210 complaints of the kind, by 30 more than in 2017. A number of 44 persons so far this year complained about noncompliant mobile phones. The subject was discussed in a news conference held in the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day. According to the Agency’s director Iurie Eremia, if the consumer rights are violated, the consumers can submit a free form complaint to the Agency by mail as a recommended parcel, can take the complaint in person to the Agency or can file it online. “The consumer should only submit the complaint and the procedures are then performed in accordance with the law,” stated the director, noting most of the complaints refer to noncompliant industrial products, tourist and air transport services and public utilities.
Illicit trade in Moldovan cigarettes in Romania declined
Illegal trade in Moldovan cigarettes in Romania has decreased, the downward trend being confirmed by statistics and by the most recent study in the field. The analysis of the illicit cigarette market of Romania, carried out by the research company Novel Research, shows the share of Moldovan tobacco products declined by 8.1 percentage points. Customs Service vice director Grigore Ionitsov said the tobacco sector is the second largest taxpayer to the state budget. Consequently, legal trade also means the collection of the projected amounts into the budget. To strengthen the institutional and operational capacities to fight this scourge, the number of officers specialized in preventing illegal trade in cigarettes and of special technical devices was increased.
● SATURDAY, March 16
Transnistrian entrepreneurs to renounce current patent from April 1
As from April 1 this year, the entrepreneurs in the Transnistrian region who work based on patent will have to renounce this and to choose one of the three fiscal regimes proposed by the Transnistrian authorities. According to the local press, depending on the area of activity and the turnover, the entrepreneurs could register as individual entrepreneurs or could work based on a simplified taxation system. The third option is to purchase an individual entrepreneur’s patent, but the volume of products that can be imported will be limited in this case.
Moldova’s GDP in 2018 at 190 billion lei
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2018 was 190 billion lei in current market prices, up 4% on 2017 in real terms. Almost all the branches of the economy contributed to the GDP growth. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, retail and wholesale trade, maintaining and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, storage, accommodation activities and public health contributed 1.2% to the GDP growth, while the building sector 1.1%.
