● TUESDAY, November 11

Serafim Urechean: In Moldova they shamelessly steal state property

In Moldova they continue to shamelessly steal the state property, with the most serious cases of appropriation being witnessed in the ecological and transport sectors, chairman of the Audit Office Serafim Ureachean said in the program “Public eye” on Noroc TV channel. According to Urechean, the number of violations identified in the ecological sector is worrisome. “Wooded areas were illegally privatized or leased out. Quarries were also illegally taken for own use. They made some people rich overnight. It’s not excluded that some of these violations were committed under the protection of politicians,” he stated.

Closure Plan for Compact Moldova approved

The Steering Committee (SC) of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Moldova, which consists of Government members and representatives of the civil society and is chaired by Prime Minister Iurie Leanca, approved the Closure Plan for the U.S. Government’s US$262 million Compact. This plan states the actions to be undertaken by September 1, 2015 – the official end date of the Compact, and after that date to make sure that the investments in road infrastructure and agriculture are sustainable. According to the plan, in 2015 MCA Moldova will continue the rehabilitation works at eight irrigation systems to be put into operation next summer; monitor the quality of the Sarateni-Soroca road that has been already opened for traffic; continue the post-harvest lending etc.

Electronic reporting system launched at National Bureau of Statistics

The National Bureau of Statistics, in concert with the secretariat of the Premier’s Economic Council, on November 11 launched an electronic reporting system. According to a communiqué of the Council, the submission of statistical reports in electronic format brings benefits to economic entities as the costs and time used for statistical reporting are reduced. At the National Bureau of Statistics, this initiative will reduce the time needed for processing statistical reports and will increase the quality of the statistical data collected. Electronic reporting will significantly simplify the reporting procedure and will reduce the administrative burden and bureaucracy, improving thus the work of the business sector of Moldova and reducing the risk of corruption.

Andrian Candu: We will make sure that end-users feel reduction in gas price

Moldova in 2015 will import Russian gas at the price of US$331.8 per 1,000 cubic meters. “The energy security towards which we tend will be ensured,” Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Andrian Candu said after the signing in Chisinau of agreements to extend the contract for the supply of Russian gas to Moldova and the contract for the transportation of Russian gas to end-users in the Balkans through Moldova until December 31, 2015. In the last two quarters, Moldovagaz paid by US$378 per 1,000 meters of cubic gas purchased from Gazprom. “We will make sure that this price reduction is taken into consideration by the National Agency for Energy Regulation when the prices for end-users are set so that the negotiated reduction is felt by the population,” Andrian Candu said in a press briefing.

● WEDNESDAY, November 12

Moldovagaz: Price of natural gas is expected to fall by 9% in first quarter

The public utility Moldovagaz forecasts that the price of gas imported from Russia in the first quarter of next year will decrease by 9% compared with the corresponding period this year. According to a communiqué of the company, the forecast is based on the evolution of oil prices on the international markets over the last several months and the modification of the price of natural gas supplied by the Russian gas giant Gazprom to Western Europe. On November 11, Moldovagaz and Gazprom signed an agreement to extend the contract for the supply of gas to Moldova in 2015.

Moldovan wine named Wine of the Week in UK

The wine Rara Neagra de Purcari was named the Wine of the Week in the UK by the most famous British wine connoisseur Tom Cannavan, who is also the producer of the program Wine of the Week. The expert said that Moldova is one of those ‘bubbling’ under countries which, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, has slowly been finding its wine feet. He noted he is glad to see the Moldovan wines on shelves in shops in the UK. The Wine of the Week is chosen according to such criteria as quality, price and value. The program Wine of the Week appreciated in time wines made in the largest winemaking countries, including New Zealand, Spain, France, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, and Italy.

● FRIDAY, November 14

EBRD loan of €52.5m for modernizing Moldova’s railways 

In a major step towards the modernization of Moldova’s railways, the EBRD is providing €52.5 million to the state-owned railway company “Calea Ferata din Moldova”. The lending agreement was signed by Moldova’s Prime Minister Iurie Leanca and EBRD Director for Transport Sue Barrett in Chisinau on November 14. The loan will be used to co-finance the acquisition of around 10 new multi-purpose locomotives and the rehabilitation of rail infrastructure. The EBRD finance will also support a broader reform of the railway sector to improve safety and efficiency. After the signing of the agreement, Iurie Leanca said Moldova’s railways are in need of fundamental restructuring and the modernization of rail infrastructure is a priority for the Government.

Subsidies paid from budget for next year 

The farmers who submitted applications for subsidization, but cannot receive money from the subsidization fund for next year will receive money from the subsidization fund for 2015. Such a decision was taken by the Cabinet in a move to satisfy all the requests of farmers. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said the Agency for Payments and Intervention in Agriculture received 52,000 applications to the value of 880 million lei by the November 1 deadline. Of the total of 564.7 million lei allocated into the subsidization fund for 2014, 473 million lei was directed for paying subsidies. The Agency reduced the asked for subsidies by 55 million lei following the examination of applications. Thus, applications to the value of about 250 million lei cannot be satisfied.