● MONDAY, December 4
Farmers hope to discuss with Speaker and Premier Monday
Representatives of the Association “Force of Farmers” announced that they will have a meeting with the head of the Parliament’s commission for agriculture and food industry Alexandr Trubca on Monday and they are hopeful that Speaker Igor Grosu will also attend the meeting.
Vitalie Gorincioi: Ban imposed by Russia on import of Moldovan fruit and vegetables is a political game
The ban imposed by Russia on Moldovan fruit and vegetables is not something of a novelty and is a political game of Moscow, said the president of “Moldova-Fruct” Association of Fruit Producers and Exporters Vitalie Gorincioi. According to him, the Moldovan fruit producers can sell their merchandise on other markets. The ban imposed by Russia affects only the consumers in the Russian Federation as these limitations push the prices on the domestic market there up.
Minimum salary will rise to 5,000 lei
The official minimum salary in the country next year will be 5,000 lei, up 25% from the current minimum pay. The rise is stipulated in a Government decision drafted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
Moldova joins Digital Europe Program, gains access to European funds
Entrepreneurs, mayor’s offices and central institutions obtain access to European funds for digitization as a result of the completion of the negotiations with the EU on Moldova’s accession to the Digital Europe Program, said Deputy Prime Minister Dumitru Alaiba, Minister of Economic Development and Digitization.
Business Barometer in Moldova shows business climate has improved
The third Business Barometer in the Republic of Moldova shows an improvement in the investment climate. In particular, the number of enterprises that were seriously affected by the Russian aggression against Ukraine decreased compared with the indexes of the Barometer of May 2023. Also, in some of the sectors, such as the construction sector, the turnover even increased.
● WEDNESDAY, December 6
Vadim Ceban: Gas charge could be 16-17 lei in spring
There will be preconditions for reducing the gas charge in spring, said the president of the Administrator Board of Moldovagaz Vadim Ceban. According to him, the gas charge for household users could decrease to 16-17 lei per cubic meter of gas. By spring, the current gas charge will be used to cover all the tariff deviations of Moldovagaz.
Moldovan banks ready to help farmers
The Moldovan Banks Association said that the banks are disposed to offer permanent support to the clients from the agricultural sector, which experience difficulties in repaying the raised loans. The partner banks aim to identify individual measures for each client, given their specific situation. The support comes to aid the farmers who face difficulties caused by the regional conjuncture, said the Association.
Minimum official salary raised to 5,000 lei
As of January 1, 2024, the minimum official monthly salary will be 5,000 lei for a complete work program of 169 hours, which is 29.58 lei an hour. A Government decision to this effect was approved by the Cabinet.
€150 million to be borrowed for building roads
The Republic of Moldova and the EBRD will sign a loan agreement for implementing the Moldova Roads Rehabilitation V program “Under the agreement, €150 million will be borrowed for repairing a number of road sectors. The Cabinet approved the signing of the agreement.
Weighing-in-motion information system to be used in Moldova
A weighing-in-motion information system will be instituted in Moldova for monitoring vehicles on public roads. A bill to this effect was approved by the Cabinet on the initiative of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development.
Digital payments should be secured, governor
The governor of the National Bank of Moldova Octavian Armașu said that together with the technological processes and the wider use of financial services in the online environment, it is essential for the national payment system to meet the challenges and to offer a higher level of cybersecurity and efficiency. The security of digital payments and the alignment of the Republic of Moldova with the EU standards were discussed in an event staged by the National Bank of Moldova.
● THURSDAY, December 7
Types of pressure Russia can impose on Moldova have contracted, opinions
The ban imposed by Moscow on the import of fruit and vegetables from Moldova is a response to Chisinau’s decision to subscribe to the international sanctions against Russia, said the executive director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) Iulian Groza. According to the expert, the ban comes in the wake of farmers’ protests as Russia hopes the farmers will step up the pressure on the Moldovan authorities.
First Municipal Business Incubator inaugurated
Newly registered enterprises can obtain managerial support, assistance services and consultative support at the first Municipal Business Incubator that was opened in Chisinau. Mayor general Ion Ceban said that through this project, the municipality aims to create opportunities for the young people from Chisinau to start businesses in the capital city.
Moldova and Romania agree to interconnect national energy and gas systems
The Republic of Moldova and Romania will sign a memorandum of understanding to implement a project to interconnect the natural gas and electricity systems. The signing was authorized by the Cabinet of Moldova on Wednesday.
Types of pressure Russia can impose on Moldova have contracted, opinions
The ban imposed by Moscow on the import of fruit and vegetables from Moldova is a response to Chisinau’s decision to subscribe to the international sanctions against Russia, said the executive director of the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE) Iulian Groza. According to the expert, the ban comes in the wake of farmers’ protests as Russia hopes the farmers will step up the pressure on the Moldovan authorities.
First Municipal Business Incubator inaugurated
Newly registered enterprises can obtain managerial support, assistance services and consultative support at the first Municipal Business Incubator that was opened in Chisinau. Mayor general Ion Ceban said that through this project, the municipality aims to create opportunities for the young people from Chisinau to start businesses in the capital city.
Moldova and Romania agree to interconnect national energy and gas systems
The Republic of Moldova and Romania will sign a memorandum of understanding to implement a project to interconnect the natural gas and electricity systems. The signing was authorized by the Cabinet of Moldova on Wednesday.
Parliament gives first reading to 2024 state budget
The MPs gave a first reading to the 2024 state budget. This provides for revenues of 66.632,0 billion lei, up 1.3 % on this year, and for an expenditure of 82.222,0 billion lei. The state budget deficit is of 15.790,0 billion lei, which is 4.6% of the GDP.
● FRIDAY, December 8
Ion Muntean: Energy Efficiency Fund is intended for blocks and individual houses
The Moldovan Residential Energy Efficiency Fund will be used to thermally insulate apartment buildings and individual houses so as to reduce energy consumption and energy costs, said the director of the Energy Efficiency Agency Ion Muntean. According to him, the dwellers’ contribution will be determined as a result of an energy audit and will be recovered in 4-5 years.
IMF gives the green light to immediate disbursement of SDR 70.95 million
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the fourth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements for the Republic of Moldova. This allows for the immediate disbursement of SDR 70.95 million (about US$ 95 million). According to the IMF, ECF/EFF implementation remains strong, with key reforms in fiscal governance, financial sector oversight, and the rule of law.
Bridge in Cricova available for use
The bridge on the M5 highway - border with Ukraine-Criva-Balti-Chisinau-Tiraspol-border with Ukraine, km 264,790, known as the bridge in Cricova, was opened to traffic. According to the authorities, this segment forms part of the most widely used road in Moldova.
Average salary in the economy will be 13,700 lei in 2024
The average monthly salary in the economy in 2024 will be 13,700 lei. This is provided in a bill drafted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, which makes reference to the macroeconomic indicators for 2023-2026 forecast by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitization.
Heat and electricity charges could be reduced
From next year, the inhabitants of the municipality of Chisinau could pay by 15% less for heat. SA Termoelectrica asked the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) to adopt a regulated price of 2,783 lei/Gcal, as opposed to 3,267 lei/Gcal at present, and to reduce the charge for the electricity produced by the company.
Moldova’s Orchard Project extended to cover whole agrifood sector
The whole agrifood sector will be how covered by Moldova’s Orchard Project. The farmers are invited to file applications for loans as from January 1, 2024. The modification is stipulated in the financing contract between the Republic of Moldova and the European Investment Bank (EIB) for implementing Moldova’s Orchard Project, which was ratified by Parliament on December 7.
Official reserve assets have grown
The official reserve assets at end-November were US$5.159,71 billion, an increase of US$79.38 million from October 31, 2023, when these totaled US$5.080,33 billion, IPN reports, with reference to the National Bank of Moldova.
IT is largest export sector of Moldovan economy
The information technology industry in 2023 became the largest export sector of the Moldovan economy, accounting for almost ¼ of the service exports. This year, the turnover in the IT sector will come to 13.2 billion lei and 85% of the IT services will be intended for export, said Veaceslav Ioniță, economic policy expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul”. According to him, goods exports have declined this year, while the IT service exports have expended.
Economy minister urges citizens to purchase local products
If each citizen spends 200 lei a month on local products, 6 billion lei will gather in the economy instead of imported products. If we buy local production, we develop the country, said Deputy Prime Minister Dumitru Alaiba, Minister of Economic Development and Digitization.