The Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) forecasts the creation of about 300 thousand new workplaces and an average monthly salary of 300 USD by 2009. The Government’s new objectives are part of a decision approved on Wednesday November 1 by the Government. The Minister of Economy and Commerce, Igor Dodon, told the press that the new workplaces will be created due to the large number of transnational companies that intend to expand in Moldova. MEC negotiates with 8 companies that are looking for a residence to exchange the production centers from the Central and South East Europe, the minister said, mentioning that factories with thousand of workplaces could be opened in Moldova next 3-6 months. The transnational companies’ interest in the Moldovan market would consist in the free trade regimes that Moldova has with the European Union and CIS countries, Dodon said. As a result of some measures stipulated in the Employment Strategy for 2002-2008, the national Employment Programme for 2003-2005, Small Business Development Programme for 2002-2005, there were created over 166 thousand new workplaces within five years and another 12.4 thousand new workplaces within six months of the current year. In addition to the average monthly salary, Dodon mentioned that in the first six months of the current year it was of 1620 lei, so the quote of 300 dollars will become possible if the salary rises in the same paces. ‘As the salary increases were of 30% within the last year, a similar annual increase will ensure a level of 300 dollars in the coming years”, Dodon said. In the budgetary sector, according to the minister, the salaries will increase in compliance with the provisions of the Salary Law approved in March 2006. In the real sector the salaries will increase especially due to foreign investors that will create new workplaces in Moldova. At the same time, the minister says that the Government will create premises for making the economic agents to indicate the real size of the salaries paid to the employees. The decrease in the social taxes would be one of the measures the Government will take for counteracting the “salary in the envelope”, minister added.