● MONDAY, March 2
Importers given the go-ahead to declare good electronically
The procedure for electronically declaring imported goods came into force at all the customs posts of Moldova on March 1, 2015. The measure is aimed at switching over to electronic processing of economic transactions and at removing paper documents. Thus, the declaring of goods becomes a simpler procedure that necessitates only the digital signature and no special training. The implementation of the new procedure will contribute to saving time and to significantly reducing the related costs incurred by economic entities.
Contest to select director for “Calea Ferata din Moldova” to be opened
Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Vasile Botnari said that a new contest to choose a person for the post of director of the state-owned railway company “Calea Ferata din Moldova” will be opened in several days. Eugen Baleca, who won the last contest to choose a director for “Calea Ferata din Moldova” last August, refused the post. The minister avoided saying the reasons for this.
Authorities promise good road from Chisinau to Balti in two years
The State Road Administration signed a contract to the value of over €36 million with the company MSF Engenharia for the rehabilitation of two sections of the national road R14 Balti – Sarateni, with the length of almost 30 km. Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Vasile Botnari told a news conference that contracts to the value of €287 million for the rehabilitation and construction of 16 road segments with the total length of 330 km will be signed this year.
ANRE sets tariff that will be used by Vestmoldtransgaz
The Administration Board of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) has set the tariff for the transportation of natural gas that will be used by Vestmoldtransgaz at 20.90 lei per 1 000 m3.According to the ANRE, the decision was adopted taking into consideration the fact that 2015 is the first year of work of the transport operator Vestmoldtransgaz and the company needs to cover the costs incurred by it for transporting natural gas.
● TUESDAY, March 3
Searches at shopping center in Chisinau
Clandestine bread, patisserie and confectionery sections were identified at Megapolis Mall as a result of searches carried out within a criminal case started over illegal entrepreneurial activities on March 3. According to the Chisinau Police Division, the police seized accounting documents showing that the economic entity sold goods to the value of over 10 million lei and drafts. The damage caused to the state budget by tax evasion is yet to be determined. Officials of the company face fines of 60,000 to 120,000 lei. The firm could be liquidated.
Deputy from Tiraspol: There is no other way out than developing trade with EU
Dmitrii Soin, deputy of the so-called supreme soviet of Tiraspol, admits that the Transnistrian region has no other way out than to develop trade with the European Union, but the Transnistrian administration will have to pay for the ‘European corridor’. In an interview for the Russian newspaper “Nezavisimaya gazeta”, Soin said the rapprochement between Transnistria and the EU will leave the region without the free Russian gas. The Transnistrian region survives mainly owing to the gratis Russian energy resources, especially the gas. Tiraspol never paid for this gas, while Moscow didn’t ask for this. The Transnistrian administration sells the Russian gas obtained gratis to local end-users and the collected money is transferred into the region’s budget.
Energy and Biomass Project II launched
The Energy and Biomass Project II , with a budget totalling €9.41 million provided by the European Union, has been launched. The project is expanding its boundaries to cover the Transnistrian region and small towns where heating plants are to be installed in public institution. It will be implemented during January 2015 – November 2017. Eighty modern biomass heating plants coupled with 21 solar collectors will be installed in schools, kindergartens, and community centres and 300 biomass-fired boilers will provided at subsidised prices to households and microenterprises within the project that will be implemented by the United Nations Development Program. Also, seven public-private partnerships are set to supply bioenergy.
● WEDNESDAY, March 4
Who and when should submit tax returns
The tax returns will be submitted by private individuals at the local tax office. In a move to simplify the procedure, the authorities allowed submitting tax returns to any fiscal body, regardless of the place of residence of the taxpayer. In a workshop for journalists, Veronica Vragaliev, division head at the Main State Tax Inspectorate, reminded the categories of taxpayers who are obliged to submit income statements. These are: the private individuals who have two or more jobs (if they obtained a salary that cumulatively exceeds 27,852 lei a year); the persons who gained incomes both as salary and from the sale of property exceeding 27,852 lei a year; the persons who didn’t get a salary, but gained incomes from the sale of property (houses, apartments, vehicles) or from leasing out farmland (if the sum obtained from these transactions is higher than 9,516 lei, which is the personal exemption in 2014). The Moldovans who settled abroad must also submit tax returns.
Moldova will be included in European tourist circuit “Wine Road”
An International Winemaking and Winegrowing Forum will be staged in Moldova for the first time, on April 23-25. It will involve countries from the Danube River Basin and the member states of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC). The event is organized under the aegis of the World Tourism Organization and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). On the occasion of the forum, Moldova will be included in the European tourist circuit “Wine Road”. The director of the Tourism Agency Nicolae Platon said that this year Moldova took over the presidency of the BSEC. Ministers from 15 states are expected to take part in the forum in Chisinau.
Natural gas started to be imported from Romania
Moldova began to import natural gas through the Iasi – Ungheni gas pipeline that was built with the financial assistance of the EU. Under the signed contract, Moldova in 2015 will import over 1 million cubic meters of gas from Romania, at the price of 1,010 Romanian lei (over 4,000 Moldovan lei) per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. It should be noted that Moldova buys gas from Russia at the price of US$311 (about 5,600 lei) per 1,000 cubic meters of gas. Deputy Minister of Economy Valeriu Triboi said the launch of the import of natural gas from Romania represents an important step in the process of implementing the Moldovan Government’s strategy for connecting the national system to the EU energy market so as to strengthen the state’s energy security.
Council for Trade under DCFTA with EU meets in Chisinau
The Council for Trade under the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) between Moldova and the EU convenes in Chisinau on March 5. At the meeting, Moldova will be represented by Deputy Minister of Economy Octavian Calmic, while the EU by the Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade Luc Pierre Devigne. The two are the chief negotiators of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. “The Council’s meeting will include an exchange of opinions and information about the commercial flows and the intensification of trade with the EU. We will discuss the export to and import from the EU and the utilization of export quotas on goods. There were prepared a series of decisions concerning the rules and procedures related to the functioning of the Council. We will also agree future technical assistance possibilities,” said Octavian Calmic, being quoted in a communique of the Ministry of Economy.
● THURSDAY, March 5
Quantity of ethyl alcohol intended for use in medicine set
The quantity of non-denatured ethyl alcohol (tariff position 2207), which is intended for use in medicine and pharmaceutical production, in 2015 will be 54 987 800 decaliters, as provided in a Government decision. The given quantity was asked by 14 enterprises. There were also taken into account the extension plans of the enterprises producing medicines. The approved amount is by 31% smaller than in 2014. Two of the applicant enterprises were included in the list for the first time. This shows that new producers of medicines appear on the home market.
Deputy Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure presented to staff
The new Deputy Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Anatol Usatyi was introduced to the personnel of the Ministry of Transport on March 5, the Ministry informs in a communique. Minister Vasile Botnari said the road sector is very important for developing the country’s economy and the rehabilitation of the whole road infrastructure is thus a major objective for the Ministry. “In the immediate period, we aim to make significant progress in the area of road rehabilitation of Moldova. I trust that the experience gained by Mister Anatol Usatyi will help us to do nice things for the country so that the people enjoy good roads, of European quality,” stated Vasile Botnari.
New festival dedicated to wine called “Golden Barrel”
A festival of Handmade Wine, Gastronomic Traditions and Handicrafts entitled “Golden Barrel” will be staged starting with this year. The event will take place annually, the second week/Sunday after the Easter holidays, while the place will be chosen based on the place of origin of the best handmade wines chosen at the contest held the previous year. Valeriu Lazar, the head of the Chamber of Trade and Industry, which organizes the event, said the festival was conceived as an occasion for promoting not only the wine, gastronomic traditions and handicrafts, but also the tourist attractions of the country and will be annually mounted in different settlements. “The already recognized contest “Golden Barrel” has the potential to become a mass event that promotes our authentic traditions, as an element of the national tourist capacities,” stated Valeriu Lazar.
Moldova and another five states create business incubators network in Black Sea Basin
Moldova, Greece, Romania, Armenia, Ukraine, and Turkey set up an international cooperation platform for business incubators called the Black Sea BI-Net. Its statutes were signed in Chisinau on March 5. “Through the agency of this network, the members of the business incubators will be able to exchange good practices and to find partners,” said Deputy Minister of Economy Tudor Copaci. The project “Regional Business Incubators Network” (BI-Net) was launched on March 23, 2013 by the Organization for the Development of the SME Sector as the leading partner, together with partners from Greece, Romania, Armenia, Ukraine, and Turkey.
First International Tourism Fair in Moldova presents offers for 2015
Twenty tour operators displayed their offers at the first International Tourism Fair in Moldova. The event, organized by the Tourism Promotion Federation, will last until March 8. The Federation’s head Alexandru Filipshi, who is also the director of a travel agency, has told that the event is an exhibition and sale and the visitors can purchase offers starting with 1 euro. "It is the first event of the kind and it provides direct destinations for the persons who want to have a vacation. We hope that next year the fair will be larger, but we anyway had a good start. We expect that the number of visitors will be the highest on the weekend,” stated Alexandru Filipschi.
● FRIDAY, March 6
Deadline for submissions for post of director of Moldova’s Railways is March 31
The Administration Board of the state-run company “Calea Ferata din Moldova” (“Moldova’s Railways”) announced that the applications for filling the post of director general of the company can be submitted to the contest commission within 14 workdays of the placement of the announcement, but not later than March 31, 4pm. The candidates must be younger than 30, have work experience of at least 10 years, with the experience of work at Moldova’s Railways being an advantage, had held an executive post for at least 8 years and have experience of financial administration, marketing, enterprise reorganization and crisis management. The applicants must have higher technical, economic or legal education, with the education in railway transport being an advantage.
Fines of 1 million lei for flower traders
The traders in flowers were subject to unplanned tax inspections in the period between February 26 and March 5. As a result of the identified irregularities, the tax inspectors imposed fines of 1 million lei. Of the 359 taxpayers inspected, 311 committed violations. According to the State Tax Service, among the most often violations are the performance of entrepreneurial activities without being registered with the State Registration Chamber or another competent authority (174 cases), the non-use of cash register (96) and the lack of documents of origin for the sold goods (36). Also, 25 commercial units were sealed up because they prevented carrying out the tax inspection.
Moldova is in danger of recession, “Expert Grup”
The lack of visible structural reforms in economy can lead to recession in Moldova in 2015, the independent think tank “Expert Grup” says in its monthly publication “Economic Reality”. The Anticipatory Composite Index based on six reference macroeconomic indicators, which is calculated by “Expert-Grup”, last December stood at 87 points, being in decline for the third consecutive month. This shows that the negative pressure on the Moldovan economy continues. The economic experts said the worsening of the economic situation is determined by factors related both to the supply and demand. A wide range of economic policy measures are needed in this respect. The pressure on the part of the supply derives from the reduced exports to the EU and especially to the CIS. The given involutions were caused by difficult economic conditions in the region, which led to a decline in the foreign demand for Moldovan products, and by the commercial restrictions imposed by Russia.
Four companies fined for raising prices of electrical appliances
The Competition Council penalized four economic entities for exaggeratedly and simultaneously increasing the prices of electrical appliances. The decision was taken on March 6. The cumulative fine of 5.3 million lei will be paid by the shop chains Maximum, Bomba, FoxMart, and Alina Electronic. The companies could not provide solid justification for the decision to simultaneously raise the prices of the household appliances they sell.
Russian authorities will be asked to extend list of companies authorized to export apples to Russia
Inspectors of phytosanitary posts will thoroughly examine the consignments of apples and the units of transport going to Russia. Also, the National Food Safety Agency will request Rosselkhoznadzor to extend the list of Moldovan companies allowed to export apples to Russia. The Agency’s specialists will also check the saplings and cuttings on the home market, which is exposed to an increased risk of infection, given that the agricultural works are to start. Inspections will be stepped up to prevent the delivery of infected apples to Russia.
EU Delegations make recommendations on implementation of DCFTA
The Delegation of the European Union to Moldova, in the meeting of the Council for Trade, formulated a number of recommendations for stimulating the implementation of the commitments within the Deep and Compressive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) between Moldova and the EU. One of them is to more actively use the export potential of the DCFTA, especially of the preferential quotas, and to obtain the right to export products of animal origin. The EU experts recommended resuming and accelerating the activities to harmonize the national legislation and implement the European legislation. It is planned that about 30 European directives in different areas will be transposed to the national legislation in 2015. It was also recommended organizing videoconferences to ensure the better understanding of the EU legislation and its impact on the business environment and consumers and to stage activities to disseminate information about the DCFTA in Moldova, including Transnistria.
● SATURDAY, March 7
One fourth of taxpayers submitted tax returns so far
About one fourth of the taxpayers (private individuals), who are obliged to present tax returns for 2014, honored this obligation so far, division head at the State Main Tax Inspectorate Veronica Vragalev has said. In a program on Radio Moldova station, Veronica Vragalev reminded that the private individuals who work and get a salary from several jobs, those who do not have a salary, but had incomes from the sale of property or from leasing out farmland must submit a tax return if the incomes earned are higher than the personal exemption (9,516 lei in 2014). This also applies to Moldovans who settle abroad.
