● MONDAY, December 21
IDIS “Viitorul”: 2015 saw no accomplishments in economy
2015 is a year when no economic results were achieved, said experts of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul”. “Together with the colleagues from “Viitorul”, we tried to compile a list of five key accomplishments in the Moldovan economy in 2015. It was a challenge for us as we identified no achievement. Instead, we have a full list of drawbacks that includes the robbing of the three banks, crisis in the financial-banking sector, defective implementation of the Association Agreement with the EU, suspension in foreign financing and recession in a number of sectors of the economy,” Viorel Chivriga, head of the Institute’s Economic Department, said when presenting the Economic Outlook for 2015. According to independent experts, the economic crisis embraced a number of economic sectors. The Gross Domestic Product in the third quarter of this year decreased by 3.7% in real terms, compared with the corresponding period of 2014. No results were achieved in the real sector of the economy either. The global agricultural production in nine months declined by 11.8% on last year. The agricultural producers continue to face difficulties in entering new markets. Frauds were identified in the subsidization process. After rising by 5.9% in the first half of the year, industry in July-October saw a slowdown in the growth rate, to 0.3%. This tendency persists.
● TUESDAY, December 22
New form of tax return for private individuals
The State Tax Service of Chisinau municipality said there was approved a new form of the tax return for private individuals (Form CET15) by which these individuals, including the nonresident ones, who do not perform entrepreneurial activities are to declare their incomes. The provisions of the Government Decision by which the form was introduced take effect on January 1, 2016. The natural persons are to declare the incomes earned in the fiscal period 2016 not later than March 25, 2017.
Premier’s Economic Council takes stock of promoted projects
The number of documents in the process of clearing goods decreased from nine to three in the case of export operations and from eleven to three in the case of import operations. This is one of the projects aimed at improving the business environment that was brought into focus by the Prime Minister’s Economic Council. According to the Council, this simplification allowed the economic entities to save about 55 million lei, which was spent on bureaucratic procedures and useless documents. According to a communique among the efforts made by the Council was to obtain the publication of the set of data about company founders in Moldova, including the names of the founders of 200,000 companies. The initiative has a powerful corruption and influence peddling prevention component and a component aimed at saving about 4.4 million lei a year.
● WEDNESDAY, December 23
“Franzeluta” imports 30% of flour and insists on raising bread prices
The bakery complex “Franzeluta”, which is the largest bead maker in Moldova, has to import 30% of the flour it needs in production because the flour made in Moldova is of a poorer quality. The price of flour is increasing and this generates higher losses. Therefore, the company’s administration insists on the necessity of adjusting bread prices. The company’s director general Victor Cojocaru said the complex annually needs 44,000-45,000 tonnes of flour or 63,000 tonnes of wheat. “Regretfully, the four made from homegrown wheat at local mills is not of the quality we need for pastry, cakes and candies. We have to use imported flour. Now we import flour from Ukraine and Romania. Today we use 70% of home-produced flour and 30% of imported flour. We invited millers and took samples of imported flour, but they didn’t manage to offer that quality,” he stated.
Volume of freight decreased significantly
The volume of freight this November fell by 23% on last November. In the first ten months of this year, the figure declined by about 17% compared with the corresponding period of last years, said the National Bureau of Statistics. The Union of Transporters and Road Workers considers the economic crisis in the country and the region is one of the causes for such developments. “The international freight transportation sector saw a decrease of over 35%. This is first of all due to the essential decline in Moldova’s exports and re-exports. The volume of freight transported by Moldovan companies from some countries to others decreased the most. This means that the markets are closing,” the Union’s chairman Vladimir Florea has told.
No operations to collect money and make payments from budget are performed Dec. 31
On the last day of the budget year 2015, no operations to collect money into and make payments from the state budget are performed. Only internal operations and operations to close the budget year are possible. The National House of Social Insurance said that in accordance with the Law on Public Finances and Budget-Fiscal Responsibilities No.181 of 25.07.2015, operations to collect money into and make payments from the state budget are not performed on the last working day of the budget year.
Moldova’ pavilion opened in Chinau’s Luzhou Free Economic Zone
Moldovan products, in particular wines, will be sold at Moldova’s pavilion opened in the Free Economic Zone of the Chinese town Luzhou. The issue was discussed by acting minister of agriculture and food industry Ion Sula and Chinese officials who paid a visit to Moldova. Tu Quping, Development Minister of Londmatan area of Luzhou, who made her first visit to Moldova, said the country is beautiful and interesting from agricultural viewpoint. “We would be glad if we could show the products made in Luzhou to Europe through the agency of your country. We would like to also build a pavilion of Luzhou in the Republic of Moldova so as to promote our products here,” stated Tu Quping.
Average monthly salary of 5,050 lei forecast for 2016
The Government projected that the average monthly salary in 2016 will be 5,050 lei. The average salary forecast for this year was 4,500 lei. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average pay this October was 4,564.9 lei, up 5.9% on last October. The real salary represented only 93.6% of the salary paid a year ago.
● THURSDAY, December 24
World Bank is optimistic for Moldova, statement
The World Bank is optimistic for Moldova. First of all, Moldova could be a magnet for investment for the European consumer, World Bank Country Manager in Moldova Alex Kremer wrote on his blog. “On the edge of the largest market in the world - the European Union - and with labor costs a tiny fraction of the EU average, Moldova could be a magnet for investment for the European consumer. Moldova's Free Economic Zones show how attractive the country can be to foreign investors when businesses are protected from corruption and hassles. The day that Moldovans get a clean economy, therefore, they will see explosive growth in such areas as light manufacturing, for example, and with that will come higher demand for labor and better wages. And faster economic growth will mean more money to pay for decent education, health care and pensions,” said Alex Kremer.
Sustainable Development Fund to ensure continuity of Compact investments
The interim Cabinet decided to set up the public institution “Moldova Sustainable Development Fund” as the direct successor of the Millennium Challenge Account Moldova that implemented a number of investment projects within the assistance program Compact, which was financially supported by the U.S. Government in 2010 – 2015. The investments centered on two segments: modernization of agriculture and rehabilitation of roads. The Moldova Sustainable Development Fund will ensure the sustainability of the investments made by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Information about fiscal debts can be accessed online
Information about the existence or lack of debts to the national public budget can be accessed online, through a specialized service of the State Tax Service. The taxpayers can find out information about the fiscal debts by visiting the section “Public information/About taxpayer”. They must only introduce the taxpayer’s fiscal code. More details about the overdue payments can be obtained by accessing the Taxpayer’s Current Account, if the taxpayer is subscribed to his service, or by going directly to the local tax body, where one can also find out information about the place and method of making payments.
License to create second digital television multiplex issued
The state-run company “Radiocomunicatii” received one more license to use radio frequencies/channels for providing electronic communications networks and services in the terrestrial digital television system with national coverage, this time for the national multiplex B. The ICT regulator ANRCETI issued the license free for a period of five years, with the possibility of renewing it. Under the special license conditions, the holder is obliged to ensure the functioning of the emitters in each of allotted areas so as to make sure that the radio signals covers 65% of Moldova’s territory and 95% of the country’s population by the end of 2016. By the end of 2017, these rates must rise to 70% and, respectively, 99%.
● SATURDAY, December 26
One employee in Transnistria maintains more than two persons
The ratio of pensioners to employees in the Transnistrian region is very high – 140,000 persons who benefit from pensions to 60,000 employees who contribute to the region’s pension fund. The Transnistrian leader Yevgheny Shevchuk told a summing up news conference that if the region’s administration does not borrow money for the pension fund, the pensions will be two times lower. According to Shevchuk, the revenues from taxes can cover only half of the pension fund needs. Thus, the region’s authorities take out loans so as to be able to pay pensions.
Conditions based on which Embassy of Germany will support micro-projects in 2016
The small projects that the Embassy of Germany is to finance in 2016 must be aimed at improving the quality of life of all the social strata, especially of the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. The deadline for applications is February 15. The Embassy of Germany in Chisinau said an eligible project must improve the living conditions of the population in the long run and must meet the durability conception. This should not be only an educative measure, but should also possess an equipment purchase component. The financial support is provided once and does not lead to repeated obligations on the part of the Embassy.
