The Independent Analytical Center Expert-Grup projected an economic growth of 3.5% in 2013. It will be determined by the recovery of the agricultural sector, which last year sustained huge losses following the drought. The economic growth will be also influenced by the improvement of the economic situation in some of the partner European countries. The economic growth forecast for 2014 is 3%, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a magazine presented by Expert-Grup. According to analyst Ana Popa, the risks that threaten the Moldovan economy will persist this year, mainly those related to the weather conditions that can prevent the agricultural sector from recovering. According to her, the policies promoted in this field should be reviewed and emphasis should be put on the promotion of new technology for cultivating the land. In 2012, Moldova lost the competition against other countries of the region in attracting foreign direct investment. This shows that the business climate in Moldova is defective. As a result of this and other factors, the GDP in 2012 diminished. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said the Ministry’s forecasts for 2013 and 2014 are similar to those of independent experts. He agreed that Moldova’s advantage in attracting foreign direct investments this year can be only a business environment of a better quality than those of the countries of the region and a jump of 20-30 positions in international business rankings. Valeriu Lazar said economic policies should be implemented to stimulate the competitiveness of the national economy and there should be introduced stimuli, including fiscal, for purchasing equipment and for increasing the qualification of the personnel. He said that though the economic crisis of 2012 was overcome much better than in 2009, the structural misbalance in economy wasn’t eliminated. According to Lazar, the economic priorities remained the same, including implementing structural changes and diminishing Moldova’s economic exposition to foreign factors.