● MONDAY, September 17

IFAD offers Moldova US$ 40m for investment projects in agriculture

A new program of strategic opportunities for the Republic of Moldova for 2019 – 2024 to the value of US$40 million was approved by International Fund for Agricultural Development. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, the new program envisions the financing of investment projects in agriculture, with emphasis on innovations, youth engagement, increase in resilience to climate change, and poverty reduction in rural areas.

● TUESDAY, September 18

Number of subscribers to pay TV services goes down

The number of subscribers to pay TV services in the first half of this year decreased by 5,800 (-1.8%) compared with the end of last year to 317,900. The revenues from these services fell by 1.9 million lei (-2.3%) to 78.7 million lei. The decline in the total number of subscribers to pay TV services is due to the reduction in the client base of the cable TV operators. In six months, this diminished by 17,900 (-9.7%) to 166,300. At the same time, the number of subscribers connected to IPTV networks rose by 12,200 (+8.7%) to 151,700.

Population’s disposable incomes on the rise

The disposable incomes of the population in the second quarter of this year were by 6.6% higher compared with the corresponding period last year, totaling 2,374 lei on average per person a month. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the salary is the most important source of livelihood. This represented 42.4% of the total disposable incomes, an increase of 0.8% compared with April-June last year. The social welfare accounted for 23.9% of the disposable incomes, while the revenues earned from individual activities – 13.5% (7.3% from agricultural individual activity, while 6.2% from non-agricultural individual activity). The cash transfers from abroad contributed 16.5% to the disposable incomes.

● WEDNESDAY, September 19

Moldovan apples to be exported to India

The Moldovan apples will be exported to India, which is one of the largest markets in the world. The Indian side set the phytosanitary import requirements and the Moldovan exporter and Indian importer are to be identified soon so that the export of the first consignment is organized, on a trial basis. Fresh fruit and vegetables from Moldova are supplied to about 80 countries. Grapes are exported to 20 countries, while plums to 16 states. The largest quantities of Moldova products are sold to the EU. As of October 1, fresh plums will be exported to Canada as well.

African swine fever continues to spread in Moldova, authorities

The situation concerning African swine fever becomes more alarming. The virus is carried not only by wild boars, but also by infected fodder. A number of 17 hotbeds were reported in only ten days. Given such a situation, the Commission for Emergencies was convoked on September 19. At the start of the meeting, Prime Minister Pavel Filip said the situation in the neighboring states becomes dangerous. In Romania, the virus was confirmed at one of the largest pig farms and over 250,00 pigs were killed. Only seven hotbeds were recorded in Moldova in 2017, but now there are 15 active hotbeds of the 22 hotbeds reported so far this year.

● THURSDAY, September 20

Regulations on accreditation of e-procurement platforms proposed for debates

The Ministry of Finance has published the draft regulations concerning the accreditation of electronic procurement platforms within the automated information system State Government Procurement Register (MTender) for public debates. The accreditation commission will consist of representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Center of Information Technology in Finance, the Electronic Governance Agency and the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Service. The electronic procurement platforms of economic operators will have to meet the technical, functionality and legal conditions for being accredited by the commission. Within five days of the accreditation of platforms, the economic operators will sign contracts and will be able to take part in public electronic procurement procedures.

IMF staff ends visit to Moldova

The execution of the 2018 budget, plans for the 2019 budget, and implementation of financial sector reforms were the subjects discussed by the staff team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Ruben Atoyan, that visited Chisinau during September 13-20, 2018. According to a press release of the IMF Office in Moldova, during the mission there was also discussed the recently approved package of tax initiatives and capital and tax amnesty, including measures needed to strengthen governance, improve tax compliance, preserve sustainability of public finances, and reduce regressivity of the tax system.

● FRIDAY, September 21

Private individuals and farmers stimulate lending process, expert

After a continuous fall of over three years, the lending process at commercial banks started to slightly recover owing to the increase in the volume of loans raised by private individuals and farmers, stated expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Veaceslav Ionita. In an article, the expert says the volume of loans in August exceeded the level of 2017. This shows that after a decline of over three years, the process started to recover in 2018. Owing to the fact that lending  to private individuals increases faster than anticipated, the volume of loans released in the banking system at the end of this year will most probably exceed 35.2 billion lei. It is thus expected that the decline of the last two years will be remedied this year, but it is yet a lot up to the level of 2014.

Honey Fair mounted in central Chisinau

The fourteenth Honey Fair is staged in the square of the Metropolitan Cathedral “God’s Birth” in central Chisinau during September 21-23. Almost 20,000 beekeepers from different districts of the country exhibited their products on the first day of the fair. Mihail Zlazov, beekeeper from Bașcalia village of Basarabeasca district, said the apicultural year 2018 was a harder one for beekeepers. The apicultural association he manages had a harvest that was by 30% lower than last year. “There was draught in spring and there was a shortage of pollen. The lack of rain led to a lower production. The acacia honey was practically compromised and the production was more than twice lower than last year. The production of linden tree honey was also twice lower. The harvest of polyfloral honey was better,” he stated.

President Dodon suggests creating Moldovan-Russian Development Fund

President Igor Dodon said the Russian Federation was, is and will remain Moldova’s strategic partner and the economic cooperation is the most important component of the Moldovan-Russian strategic partnership. In the Moldovan-Russian Economic Forum held in Chisinau, the President said he will submit an initiative to create a Moldovan-Russian Development Fund that would support common business projects. According to President Dodon, Moldova should become a member of the Eurasian Development Bank whose investment portfolio currently stands at US$ 3 billion, but totals US$ 7 billion together with the implemented projects.

Wire harness factory in Căușeni to open new production hall

The wiring assembly company Coroplast Harness Technology based in Căușeni town, in the subzone of the Free Economic Zone Bălți, plans to make investments of about US$20 million in setting up a new production hall and will thus increase the number of employees from 410 to 1,000. On September 21, Prime Minister Pavel Filip visited the factory and was informed about the extension of the production area.

● SATURDAY, September 22

No money of funds robbed from banks has been recovered, expert

Transparency International expert Veaceslav Negruța, ex-minister of finance, said no money of the funds stolen from the banking system has been recovered so far. The liquidators of the three commercial banks gather the planned amounts by selling assets and collecting interest on the repaid loans, but no money was recovered based on those definitive court decisions and executory titles that total about 15 billion lei, according to the National Bank. “I refer to five companies that were announced as belonging to the Shor group by the National Bank in September 2017. Of the 15 billion lei, nothing has been yet recovered. The amounts collected under insolvency procedures have nothing to do with the recovery of the stolen US$ 1 billion. The money will probably be recovered if an investigation was really launched, based mainly on the Kroll report and the recovery strategy that was presented to the authorities by this consortium Kroll and Steptoe & Johnson,” Veaceslav Negruța stated in an interview for Radio Free Europe.

Transnistrian region estimates costs of almost 3bn rubbles in 2019

The 2019 draft budget of the Transnistrian region will have a deficit of 1.8 billion rubles. The revenues, except for the special funds, are to total over 1 billion rubles, while the costs will come to 2.8 billion rubles. The local press reported that the budget will remain socially oriented, as the previous years. The unconstitutional authorities of Transnistria promise to raise the salaries of a number of budget-funded employees and some of the social benefits and to finance capital investments and support the business community.

Factory under Nike brand to be opened in Taraclia

A ready-made factory under the brand Nike is to be constructed in Taraclia town by the Turkish company Asena Textile during the next 14 months.  The firm won the right to rent the area for the factory at an outcry auction on September 11. According to the mayor of Taraclia Sergey Filipov, Asena Textile will be the largest investor in the town and this will offer jobs to over 500 persons.