The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology proposed a package of actions designed to stimulate the development of the IT industry in the Moldova ICT Summit 2014, IPN reports.

ICT Minister Pavel Filip said the IT industry is an ecological one and does not need areas, only the people’s knowledge. Moldova has great potential for developing the IT industry. However, it now accounts for only 0.8% of the GDP, as against the 10% contribution of the whole ICT sector.

“That’s why we must create conditions for developing the IT industry so as to attract foreign investment to this area,” stated Filip.

The measures proposed by the ICT Ministry include the creation of virtual industrial parks in Moldova and the introduction of a single tax of 12% or event 10% of the incomes earned from sales for the IT companies that will register as residents of these parks.

“If a single tax is introduced, the administrative barriers will be removed and the tax administration procedures will be simplified. The rules of the game will be thus clearer. This will encourage the investors to come and work in this area. The taxes paid to the state will not decrease as we will have a large number of companies that will work legally in this sector,” stated the ICT minister.

Excellence centers will be set up to provide the IT sector with skilled personnel, to build closer ties between universities, other education institutions and the IT companies that need qualified specialists.

Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said the ICT sector plays a major role in the modernization process. The implementation of advanced information technology will enable to offer public services of a high quality to the people, to strengthen the connection between public institutions and the people and to eliminate corruption.

According to the Premier, the measures proposed by the ICT Ministry are interesting and the Moldova ICT Summit represents an excellent platform for discussing these actions that will be later approved by the Government.

Executive director of the National Association of Private ICT Companies Ana Chirita said the introduction of a single tax on IT companies’ incomes from sales will stimulate the development of the IT industry. “But a lot depends on the way this single tax is implemented. Some of the IT companies may not have incomes at the beginning or in a certain period. How will they pay this tax? Certain aspects must be discussed and agreed. There must be no room for interpretation,” she stated.

Moldova ICT Summit 2014 was organized by the ICT Ministry, the National Association of Private ICT Companies and USAID CEED II Project in partnership with governmental agencies and the private companies DAAC System Integrator, HP, Endava, and others.