● MONDAY, September 28
Kaufland hypermarkets could be opened in Chisinau
The German chain of hypermarkets Kaufland extends to Chisinau. Mayor of Chisinau Dorin Chirtoaca on September 28 said that he will have a meeting with the company’s director on October 2 and the launch will most probably be announced soon. “If we manage to reach an agreement, this will be the nicest present on the City’s Day, besides all the others,” said the mayor. According to him, besides the investments that it will make in Chisinau, the company will also generate the opening of over 1,000 jobs.
16 licenses available for using radio frequencies
The National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology announces a contest to provide 16 licenses for using radio frequencies available in the frequency bands 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2600 MHz and 3400 – 3800 MHz for providing public mobile terrestrial electronic communications services and networks. According to the announcement, the contest is open to legal entities, civil societies/associations of legal entities from Moldova and abroad, which can submit joint offers and applications. Those interested can file applications and the contest participation guarantee to the Agency’s address – Chisinau, 134 Stefan cel Mare Blvd, MD – 2012 - until November 13. The applicants must prove that they had an average annual turnover of at least €10 million during the last three years, that they are not in the process of insolvency and that they do not form part of the group of another applicant.
● TUESDAY, September 29
Chisinau-Iasi train route to be launched
The first train from Chisinau to Iasi, the Socola station, sets off on September 30, starting at 6:17am. Director general of the state-run company Moldova’s Railways Iurie Topala told a news conference that the station Socola is located on the outskirts of the town. From there, the local administration of Iasi will organize motor transport to other destinations in the municipality. On Moldova’s territory, the train will stop in Calarasi and in Ungheni. From Ungheni, it will go directly to the Socola station, with no stops. Iurie Topala said the price of a train ticket is lower than that of a minibus or bus ticket. There are three price categories: 132 lei for the third class; 148 lei for the second class, and 173 lei for the first class. At 5:20pm, the train will leave for Chisinau. The train was modernized, has a Wi-Fi system and air conditioning. Up to Ungheni, the journey will last for 1.40 hours, while from Ungheni to Iasi, through the customs post, almost as long - three hours on average up to Iasi. The train has 265 seats and 80 tickets have been already sold this morning, September 29.
Decent living is possible with salary of minimum 10,000 lei, survey
For living decently in Moldova, the salary must be not lower than 10,000 lei, consider more than half of the respondents of a survey carried out by the Labor Institute of the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova. The results of the poll were presented in a roundtable meeting on September 29. The survey shows that about 90% of those polled aren’t satisfied with their salary. Asked what minimum salary they need to make a decent living, those surveyed said the pay should be at least 10,000 lei,” said the chairman of the Federation of Building Trade Unions Victor Talmaci. According to the poll, almost 20% of the respondents said their current salary covers only 19% of their household-related costs, 54% said it covers 20-55% of the costs, while 24% - 50-80%.
● WEDNESDAY, September 30
Discounts on tickets for Chisinau – Iasi train route
The state-run company Moldova’s Railways offers discounts of up to 20% on tickets for the new train route Chisinau-Iasi, Socola station, throughout October. The train route was launched today, September 30, at 6:17am. The train had been earlier modernized in Romania’s Pascani. The train No. 821 will arrive at the Socola Railway Station at 10:28am. Between September 30 and October 30, all the passengers will benefit from reductions on tickets, while the students will enjoy discounts permanently.
Details about National Wine Day
On the National Wine Day celebrated on October 3-4, the national wineries will open their doors to visitors. The authorities will provide free transport from the capital city. The tourists who will arrive at the Chisinau International Airport will be informed about wineries’ programs at a stall that will start work at the airport on October 1. Brochures with relevant information will also be distributed in the center of Chisinau, near the Great National Assembly Square, and in the hotels situated in the capital city. Director of the National Office of Vine and Wine Dumitru Munteanu told a news conference that the tourists who will approach the airport stall will receive a bottle of wine with the emblem “Welcome to Moldova!”, a map and a leaflet with wineries’ programs on the occasion of the Wine Day. The Office will provide free transport to and from the wineries. Eight minibuses and 12 buses will be available in the parking lot of the Tourist Hotel located at 9 Grigore Vieru Blvd.
● THURSDAY, October 1
Campaigns to inform farmers
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry is launching two campaigns to inform the agricultural producers. The first is entitled “A registered animal – a healthy animal” and includes the promotion of the Livestock Identification and Traceability System, while the second campaign refers to the opening of the Call Center in Agriculture. Minister Ion Sula told a news conference that a Livestock Identification and Traceability System was launched in Moldova in 2007. This system has worked for eight years, but needs to be updated. The owners are directly responsible for the animals’ health and, in accordance with the law, are obliged to register these in the database within 15 days of the birth, purchase, sale or import. A file is opened on the animal to monitor him throughout his life.
Poorer harvest of apples and grapes
This year’s apple harvest is by 35% lower than last year. The table grapes yield is by 20% smaller, while the technical grapes yield – by 35%. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Ion Sula said that even if the harvested volume of technical grapes is lower, the quality of these grapes is higher. The official said that it was a difficult year for vegetable growers. These were seriously affected by the drought in the atmosphere and in the national rivers and lakes. The demand for vegetables will be mostly satisfied with imported products. Ion Sula noted that the volume of exported grapes is now similar to last year’s, while of exported apples is larger because a number of companies were authorized to export apples to Russia. The producers also export the plums kept in cold storage facilities.
Shortage of sunflower oil, producers get ready to import raw material
The national stores witness a shortage of sunflower oil. Ludmila Papuc, official responsible for marketing at an oil producer, has told that the drought seriously reduced the harvest of sunflower seeds this year. It is almost twice lower than last year and the producers will have to import seeds. The stocks of sunflower oil were used up, while the price of sunflower seeds rose to 7-8 lei per kg, as opposed to 3-4 lei per kg last year. The price of oil will most probably rise by about 50%. Now a liter of oil costs 20 lei. Ludmila Papuc said the price is expected to reach 30 lei, as several years ago, when the harvest was also low.
● FRIDAY, October 2
We pay by 50% more than necessary for electric power, expert
The Moldovan consumers pay monthly by over 50% more than necessary for electricity because Moldova purchases power from the Cuchurgan Power Plant not directly, but through a Transnistrian company that is controlled by Yevgheny Shevchuk and Vlad Plahotniuc, economic expert Sergiu Tofilat said in the talk show “Interpol” on TV 7 channel. “This is “EnergoKapital”, which is an offshore company that acts as an intermediary between MoldGRES and Moldova. It was founded in Tiraspol last yearend. The Cuchurgan Power Plant asks 1.8 cents per kilowatt, while Moldova purchases the power at the price of 6.8 cents from the Transnistrian firm,” said Sergiu Tofilat. According to the expert, by this scheme the Moldovan consumers are monthly robbed of US$12.5 million. “Moldova annually imports about 3 billion kilowatts of power, which means that the intermediary company earns annually approximately US$150 million,” he said.
Commission to select candidates for National Bank governor
Head of Parliament Andrian Candu will institute a commission to select candidates for the post of governor of the National Bank of Moldova at a public contest. The Parliament’s press service said the decision to create the commission was taken in a move to ensure transparency in the process of selecting candidates and equal competition conditions, based on the criteria of integrity and professionalism. The commission will consist of representatives of the parliamentary groups, civil society, the academic community and the professional banking community and of independent experts. The international organizations and the diplomatic corps working in Moldova will be asked to delegate observers.
Cards issued by Banca de Economii, Banca Sociala and Unibank become unserviceable
The cards issued by Banca de Economii, Banca Sociala and Unibank will become nonfunctional on October 9. On their official websites, the three banks announce that starting with 9am, all the operations with bank cards will be stopped. The unused balance from the card accounts, together with the sight and time deposits of natural and legal entities, will be transferred in a centralized way to other banks, by keeping the conditions of the existing deposit contracts. The clients will obtain information about the banks to which these were transferred at the local offices where they are served.
National Bank puts new banknotes into circulation
The National Bank of Moldova starting with October 12 will put into circulation seven new bills with the nominal value of 1 leu and 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 lei. The new banknotes will be accepted as legal tender without restrictions. The design and size of the new bills are identical to the previous issues, except for the 100 lei bill, which will be larger. The new safety elements include the imprint in relief and in concave relief on the bills with the nominal value of 10 lei and 500 lei. Thus, the portrait of Stephan the Great, the wording “Republica Moldova” and “Stefan cel Mare” are imprinted in relief detectable by touch.
● SATURDAY, October 3
Moldexpo hosts Wine Festival “Tulburel”
Those who will visit the Wine Festival “Tulburel” (“Thick New Wine”) at the National Exhibitions Center on October 3 and 4 will enjoy wines of a high quality, warm dishes, exhibitions of handmade objects and good mood. This year the National Wine Day has a different format as the holiday is marked at the largest national wineries that prepared special programs and also at Moldexpo, where “Tulburel” takes place. At Moldexpo, the people came in high spirits to taste wine made from grapes of this year’s harvest. “I almost annually come to these festivities. I tasted wine and bought a bottle of wine for myself,” said one of the visitors. “I wait for this festival because it is a pleasure for me and a tradition that represents our country,” said another visitor who just tasted new thick wine.
