The low competitiveness is the major problem of the Moldovan economy, considers Valeriu Prohnitchi, the executive director of the Independent Analytical Center “Expert- Grup”. He made such a statement at a roundtable meeting held to mark the launch of the third edition of the publication “Relitatea economica” (“Economic Reality”). The study reveals the economic tendencies in the country in April-May, Info-Prim Neo reports. “Everywhere, in the neighboring countries and in other states, the prices are rising. In Moldova they rise quicker because the economy is non-competitive. This applies not only to the economic policies, but also to the companies. There is no real competition on the market. As a result, the prices grow artificially and the country experiences shortages that cannot be explained. The negative trade balance is also increasing,” Prohnitchi said. According to him, the Moldovan companies do not invest in research and development. Private economic entities’ investments in this sector in 2007 made up 17%. In developed countries, this figure is more than 50%. The third number of the “Economic Reality” publication includes studies of the free economic zones, labor security and the Government’s attempts to remedy the situation, of the inflation rate of the industrial products etc.