The business sector of Moldova faces yet too many constraints. The authorities recognize these problems and say they are ready to deal with them. In order to overcome the obstacles to economic development, a dialogue is needed based on more tolerance, less radicalism and more cooperation. Such suggestions were formulated in the Forum of Businessmen that was held in Chisinau on November 12, under the aegis of the National Employers Confederation of Moldova, IPN reports.
Prime Minister Iurie Leanca urged the businesspeople to contribute to the successful implementation of the roadmap for eliminating the major constraints in the economy and to help fight corruption by informing about all the acts of corruption involving public servants. He invited the businessmen to actively debate the text of the Association Agreement with the EU that will be made public after the initialing of the accord.
After listening to the conclusions of the study “Major constraints on the business sector of Moldova”, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar said that all these problems are known. “We need a dialogue without politicization and political partisanship. The dialogue is hampered by radicalism. We must understand that the Government has certain limits, as the business sector,” he stated.
Minister of Finance Anatol Arapu said that Moldova’s economy is very dependent on foreign factors and it will always be so as it is too small and does not dictate the rules on the international market.
Liberal-Democratic MP Veaceslav Ionita, who heads the parliamentary commission on economy, budget and finance, said the forum organized by the National Employers Confederation is a start of the communication. He invited the businessmen to take part in the first commission’s meeting where the draft budgetary-fiscal policy for next year will be discussed, on November 19. He said the businesspeople can also discuss their problems with Parliament, which can adopt laws and decisions to reduce the number of constraints or their negative effects.
Antonio Graziosi, sub-regional director of the International Labor Organization based in Budapest, said the social dialogue must be efficient and helpful to the authorities and must represent all the sides. He congratulated the National Employers Confederation for the organized event and welcomed the initiative to analyze the situation in the business sector.
Jean-Marie Standaert, special adviser of the Dutch Employers’ Cooperation Program, said that in several weeks Moldova will initial the Association Agreement with the EU in Vilnius and it must prepare to cope with its provisions and to work on the competitiveness so as to be ready for the opening of the European market.
In the forum, there was presented a draft memorandum of cooperation between the National Employers Confederation and the Government. During a month, it will be supplemented with proposals formulated by businessmen and state institutions and will be then signed.