● MONDAY, July 15
Daniel Ioniță: Works to build Ungheni-Chsinau gas pipeline are underway
The works to build the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline on all the seven sections have started, Romania’s Ambassador to Moldova Daniel Ioniță informed through a social networking site. The first layer of stones is now being laid. The fertile soil is being removed and reinforcement works are being performed under foundations and support walls.
Changes proposed to regulations on tourism
The tourist guides, rural homes and providers of particular recreational services will be able to work based on patent. The proposal is detailed in a bill drafted by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure. The informative note to the bill says some of the tourist guides avoid registering a legal form of activity owing to the difficult types of reporting and to the obligation to use the cash register. The possibility of using such a simplified form of activity as the one based on parent would contribute to legalizing the work of tourism guides and to stimulating the interest in practicing this activity.
● TUESDAY, July 16
Alexandru Slusari: Only 20% of stolen bank funds can be now recovered
The chairman of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the bank fraud Alexandru Slusari said the representatives of Kroll are disappointed with the work done by the Moldovan investigation bodies. According to him, these said they will come to Moldova again only when they see real political will to recover this money. The issue was developed in the talk show “Expertise hour” on Jurnal TV channel. “In the meeting we had with them, they said this frankly. This means that nothing was done here during four years to recover this money. They said that if steps had been taken on warm trails in 2015 and this money recovery mechanism has been used, a significant amount of money would have been recovered (...) It was sabotage on the part of the previous government,” stated Alexandru Slusari.
● WEDNESDAY, July 17
CNAS reminding entrepreneurs to pick up employment record books back
The National Social Insurance Fund (CNAS) has published a list of economic operators which have not collected yet the employment record books for their employees, as a reminder that it should be done. Under a Government decision, CNAS had taken in the books to scan for the purpose of collecting employment records from the period before January 1, 1999.
● THURSDAY, July 18
Sale of insurance company Moldasig has been suspended
The sale of the insurance company Moldasig has been suspended. According to President Igor Dodon, a proper re-evaluation is needed before the firm can be put up for sale again, as the proceeds from the salle will count towards the recovery of the $1B bank fraud funds. The president told a press conference after today’s Supreme Security Council meeting that the authorities thwarted an unfair deal where the company was supposed to go for 15 million lei, whereas its real value was about 500 million lei. Moldasig has been subject to forfeiture procedures over its involvement in the $1B bank fraud.
Cabinet agrees amendments to law on building works authorization
The urbanism certificate will be issued with the consent of all the co-owners and the realty/court neighbors, as it is provided in the amendments to the law on the authorization of building works that were approved by the Cabinet on July 18. The Cabinet pleaded for a transparent mechanism for launching new building works and requested the lawmakers to specify the categories of interests and rights of neighbors that should be respected when a new construction is planned, for example, when the new construction limits access to sunlight.
License of duty-free shops working in Transnistria suspended
The license authorizing the activity of duty-free shops on the territory of the Transnistrian region was suspended. President Igor Dodon told a news conference that a smuggling scheme through the duty-free stores working in Transnistria had been employed so far. According to Igor Dodon, the legal provisions introduced by the previous government and the parliamentary majority in 2015 allowed such shops to work. The legislative body will now amend the legislation as a matter of urgency so as to annul this scheme that was designed in 2015.
● FRIDAY, July 19
Parliament endorses delay of small entrepreneurs’ patent cancellation
Parliament passed a bill in the first reading delaying the cancellation of the so-called small entrepreneurs' patents until 31 December 2022. Presenting the bill at the plenary sitting, co-sponsor Alexandru Slusari said small entrepreneurs' patents continue to be the only source of income for many families amid a deficit of jobs and low salaries and pensions. The bill is expected to lead to “a significant, at least double increase in people’s incomes, which would make the cancellation of patents impossible,” argued Alexandru Slusari.
Parliament cancels duty-free benefits for stores in Transnistria
The Moldovan Parliament voted today to cancel a number of Customs Code provisions that allowed the operation of duty-free stores in the Transnistrian region, for fear of “potential fraud”. Arguing in favor of the proposal, Finance Minister told Parliament that in the first five months of this year alone, the three stores operating in Transnistria under Moldovan duty-free licenses sold a billion cigarettes, an amount consumed in the entire Moldova in a year.
● SATURDAY, July 20
NAER will propose increasing electricity rates, director
The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) will suggest that the rates on the electricity supplied by Gas Natural Fenosa should be 1.85 lei/kWh, up 3.2%, as opposed to the rate of 1.94 lei/kWh requested by the supplier, which is by 0.15 lei or 8.6% higher than the current rate of 1.79 lei/kWh, the Agency’s director Octavian Calmîc informed on Facebook, being quoted by IPN. According to Octavian Calmîc, Furnizare Energie Electrică Nord asked for a rate of 2.34 lei/kWh, plus 0.42,8 lei or by 22.46% higher than the current rate of 1.91 lei/kWh. But the NAER will propose considering a rate of 2.19 lei/kWh, which is an increase of 14.9%.
More than 80 women-led enterprises to receive grants from EU
Over 80 rural enterprises run by women will receive a total 11 million lei in grants to develop their businesses and diversify services. The money is being offered by the EU, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure said in a press release. The supervisory committee of the “Women in Business” Pilot Program met on Friday to approve 81 investment projects out of 151 applications. These were submitted as part of the third call for investment proposals funded by the EU.
