Representatives of former patent holders from different districts of the country claim that half a year after the launch of the patent reform, the government’s initiative to turn patentees into businesspeople and company executives failed lamentably. According to them, more than half of the over 5,000 patentees, which is 5,000 families, went to work abroad and 90% of those who remained and tried to register an individual company didn’t start a business till the end and stopped only at the stage of signing an activity contract with markets. It happened because self-employment requires additional costs that they cannot cover.

In a press conference hosted by IPN, Ruslan Verbitski, the representative of patent holders from Chisinau, said that the intention to destroy small and medium-sized businesses, close markets in favor of large economic agents and discourage the activities of local entrepreneurs cannot lead to economic growth and unity in society. On the contrary, these things lead to dispersal and condemnation to poverty.

Olga Chapki, the representative of patentees from Stefan Voda district, noted that she wants to work at home because she loves her country and wants to stay with her children. “When the government finds the courage to invite us to a real dialogue, we will be ready anywhere and anytime to put our shoulder to the wheel to increase prosperity in this country. A country without people is nothing,” stated Olga Chapki.

Eleonora Țurcanu-Herghelegiu, the representative of patent holders from Causeni district, said that the authorities claim that this reform was friendly, but this is not true “How can I understand, Mr. Minister and the others from the government, when at the first unplanned, unannounced inspection, a small mistake of our colleagues who are self-employed is punished with a fine of 5,000 to 15,000 lei, if a receipt is not issued. Is this called a friendly regime? But where are the three years during which you said that only advisory inspections will be carried out. Another pitfall was that we would pay less. It was a trap. The patent was liquidated intentionally in favor of monopoly and big sharks,” stated Eleonora Țurcanu-Herghelegiu

Amrahov Mirza, representing patentees from Balti municipality, said that after the patent was banned, the people made numerous calls to the authorities. Most of them are pensioners, who have worked for more than 15 years at the market. They are not businessmen, but ordinary people who earned their piece of bread. The man presented a list of signatures of about 600 former patent holders working in markets of Balti municipality and urged others to sign the petition by which they call on the authorities to be allowed to operate on a patent basis. Until a solution is found, they call for a moratorium on inspections and fines.

Note: IPN News Agency offers the right of reply to persons who consider they were touched by the news items produced based on statements made by the organizers of the given news conference, including by facilitating the organization of another news conference in similar conditions.