● MONDAY, September 19
Moldovagaz requests NAER to raise gas rates
SA “Moldovagaz” filed an application to the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER), asking this to adjust the regulated natural gas prices. The supplier asks for a rate of 27,665 lei/1,000 m3 without VAT at the exit point of low pressure natural gas distribution pipelines as from October 1. According to the Agency, the increase in the purchase price of gas since June is the main factor invoked by the supplier. “The purchase price of natural gas paid by SA “Moldovagaz” to “Gazprom” rose from 851 $/1,000 m3 for the volume of natural gas consumed in June to 1,459 $/1,000 m3 for the natural gas consumed in August and to 1,883 $/1,000 m3 for that consumed in September 2022,” the regulator noted in a press release.
● Tuesday, September 20
Andrei Spînu: We didn’t receive a clear response from Gazprom as to gas supplies after October 1
There is complete uncertainty about the supply of Russian natural gas to Moldova after October 1. Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Spînu said the Russian side hasn’t yet provided a clear response as to the provision of gas to Moldova after this date. If Russia does not stop the gas supplies to Moldova after October 1, the purchase price of gas will be much lower than the current one as the price calculation formula for the cold period of the year is advantageous to Moldova.
Protest mounted by “Force of Farmers” involves farmers from 20 districts
The famers taking part in the protest staged by the Association “Force of Farmers”, who are from 20 districts, took their agricultural machines to 15 points in the country. In a press release, the protest organizers said that they are ready to provide any information about the location of the machines. The farmers warned that if their regional protests are ignored, they will take their agricultural machines to the center of Chisinau. Protesters’ demands are the same: to defer their payments to creditors without calculating penalties, to provide tax concessions to them, in particular to enable them to use the VAT from the account to pay taxes and contributions, and to persuade the foreign partners to offer subsidies to the farmers affected by drought.
IT solution for preventing money laundering risks will become functional by this yearned, NBM
The integrated IT solution designed to automate and streamline the monitoring processes of money laundering risks and the transparency of ownership of supervised banks is at the final implementation stage and will be launched by the end of this year. The state-of-the-art system that will be managed by the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) is implemented with the assistance of the Financial Sector Transparency Activity (FSTA) that is funded by USAID, IPN reports.
Fund for Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth to be created in Moldova
The small and medium-sized enterprises in Moldova will have access to long-term financing through a state-supported fund for lending in preferential conditions. The first public discussions on the creation of the Fund for Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth of Moldova (FACEM) were held today. According to the authorities, FACEM will represent a stimulus for the businesses with growth potential, which will have access to loans at lower rates through banks and nonbank lending organizations. According to calculations done by specialists, the cost of the loans that will be released through FACEM will be by at least 30% lower than the cost of the loans available now on the market. This will encourage the starting of new business and the development of the existing businesses.
● Wednesday, September 21
Farmers’ Federations chief: We should also take economic situation into account
The executive director of the Farmers’ Federation said the entity that he leads gave up staging the protests planned earlier together with representatives of the Association “Force of Farmers”. According to Vasile Mîrzenco, the farmers in the Republic of Moldova should take into account the difficult economic situation in which the country is now. The farmer said the support measures announced by Minister of Agriculture Vladimir Bolea are welcome and these made many of the farmers abandon protests.
● Thursday, September 22
IMF provides Moldova with access to US$ 27 million
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on September 21 completed the first reviews under the 40-month ECF/EFF arrangements with Moldova, providing the country with access to SDR 20.65 million (about US$ 27 million). This allows for the immediate disbursement of SDR 20.65 million (about US$ 27 million), usable for budget support, bringing Moldova’s total disbursements under the blended ECF/EFF arrangements to SDR 185.95 million (about US$ 242 million). According to the IMF, spillovers from the war in Ukraine continue to weigh on Moldova’s outlook. The economy is expected to stagnate in the near term, with inflation remaining high amid rising food and energy prices. The current account and fiscal deficits are expected to widen significantly in the current year.
IMF money will be used to do reforms to increase resilience
The IMF Executive Board concluded the first reviews under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) Arrangements for the Republic of Moldova. This allows for the immediate disbursement of SDR 20.65 million (about US$ 27 million). The money will be used to do essential reforms to increase the country’s resilience and to cover socio-economic costs, IPN reports, quoting the Government’s press service. According to the IMF, the impact of the war in Ukraine has yet to fully materialize, with the economy projected to stagnate in 2022 amid spillovers from the war, rising food and energy costs, and fragile confidence. Moldova’s program is advancing governance reforms critical to increasing the country’s resilience to shocks, while also providing additional resources to meet urgent socio-economic needs.
Salaries of professional parent assistants with technical studies up 700 lei
The pays of professional parent assistants with technical vocational studies is raised by 700 lei or 5.5%. Parliament gave a first reading to the bill by which the pay grades for this category of employees are increased. The higher salaries will be calculated for September and will be paid from October. “By these amendments, we correct that mistake that was made in pay grades in 2018. It is an injustice felt by many. I’m glad that we managed to put it right,” the head of the commission on social protection, health and family Dan Perciun stated in Parliament.
Leu depreciation by 0.2% against US dollar in August
In August the Moldovan lei depreciated by 0.2% against the US dollar on average to 19.2996 USD/MDL, as opposed to 19.2574 USD/MDL in July.
According to the National Bank of Moldova, the degree of covering the net demand of foreign currency on the part of business entities by the net supply from private individuals in August was 113.1%, as against 5.9% in July.
● Friday, September 23
Natural gas rates raised
A cubic meter of natural gas will cost almost 30 lei. The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) on Friday approved a gas rate of 27.103 lei/1,000 m3, plus the 8% VAT. SA “Moldovagaz” asked for a rate of 27,665 lei/1,000 m3 without VAT at the exit points of low pressure natural gas distribution pipelines as from October 1.
New gas rates take effect on October 1
The new natural gas rates will start to be applied on October 1. According to the National Agency for Energy Regulation, the higher purchase price of gas is the main factor that generated a rise in gas rates.
Peasant farmsteads to be registered only by Public Services Agency
As from January 1, 2023, the peasant farmsteads will be registered exclusively by the Public Services Agency, not by the mayor’s offices as it is done now, IPN reports. The change is stipulated in a bill that was given a second reading by Parliament this week.
● Saturday, September 24
Economist estimates average gas bill for 70 m² apartment at 4,200 lei
Gas bills will depend on the weather outside, the type of home, the type of heating system, the preferences of the user, and not least on the quality of the natural gas, economist Veaceslav Ioniță explains. His calculations show that, after the gas rate rose to almost 30 lei, the bill will for a 70 square meter apartment will be around 4,200 lei.
