The Democratic parliamentary group registered in Parliament a bill that allows for the exemption of winemakers from paying mandatory contributions into the Vine and Wine Fund for 2020 so as to minimize the losses, to ensure revenues for employees and to ensure swift recovery after the crisis, IPN reports, quoting a press release of the party.

Democratic MP Nicolae Ciubuc in a press briefing said such a legislative proposal is needed given the contraction of activities and decline in sales of companies operating in the wine industry and the annulment of the commercial operations at domestic and foreign levels.

Nicolae Ciubuc noted that the winemaking companies sustain significant losses and face serious risks that affect their economic activity. “Local sales decreased by 50%-80%, while exports in April-June declined by down to 25%. The companies thus lose liquidity and find it difficult to fulfill the obligation to pay taxes,” he stated.

The bill stipulates amendments to the Law on Vine and Wine that will enable the winemakers to have extra liquidity so as to overcome the crisis. It is proposed not imposing penalties on the contributions that weren’t paid into the Vine and Wine Fund on time and modifying the article that allows the residents of Free Economic Zones not to pay such contributions so as to ensure the equality of all the business entities working in the wine industry.

The wine industry is one of the traditional pillars of the national economy, which accounts for 16% of the sector’s value and is a source of income for 150,000 Moldovans, two thirds of whom are from rural areas.