● MONDAY, March 6
List of companies allowed to export wine to Russia could be extended
The announcement by Russia’s food safety watchdog Rospotrebnadzor of the seven Moldovan wine businesses that can export wine to the Russian Federation does not mean that the list cannot be extended, said Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Eduard Grama. According to him, the inspection process is long-lasting and more companies could be yet accepted.
Moldova and United Arab Emirates negotiate cooperation agreements
The Republic of Moldova and the United Arab Emirates are initiating the negotiation of agreements of cooperation in economic development, avoidance of double taxation and opening of embassies. The initiatives were discussed by Speaker of Parliament Andrian Candu and Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Galbur, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Trade unions of “Moldova’s Railways” announce protests
The salary-earners who are members of trade unions of the state-run company “Moldova’s Railways” will mount a protest on March 11. They will demand that the salary arrears should be settled by March 31 this year and that compensations should be provided for the delay in paying salaries. Chairman of the Federation of Railway Workers Trade Unions Ion Zaporojan said the salary arrears exceed 130 million lei, while the fate of the about 9,800 employees of the company remains uncertain.
Higher amounts collected into national public budget
The State Tax Service has reported higher amounts collected into the national public budget in the first two months of this year. In January – February, there was accumulated a sum of over 4 billion lei, by about 250 million lei more than planned. In a press release, the Service says that 1.7 billion lei was collected into the state budget in the period. This is by 119 million lei or 7.31% more than projected.
Investments in Free Economic Zones up 24% last year
The investments in Free Economic Zones (FEZes) in 2016 came to US$55.2 million, an increase of 24% on a year before. Some 68% of the foreign direct investment attracted to the Free Economic Zones went to FEZ Balti, while 18% to FEZ Expo-Business-Chisinau. According to the Ministry of Economy, the share of industrial activity in the FEZes increased last year and became the main kind of activity. The volume of goods produced and services provided in the Zones totaled about 6 billion lei. The industrial production accounted for 74.5% of this sum. About 81.4% of the production manufactured in the FEZes was exported.
● TUESDAY, March 7
NAER announces new price ceilings for gasoline and diesel fuel
During the next two weeks, as of March 8, a liter of gasoline coded 95 will cost at most 17.83 lei, while a liter of diesel fuel at most 15.62 lei. According to the new price ceilings announced by the National Agency for Energy Regulations (NAER) on March 7, the price of gasoline decreased by 0.32 lei compared with the previous two weeks, while of diesel fuel by 0.03 lei.
Japan provides almost US$5m for Moldovan farmers
The Government of Japan offers US$4.8 million worth of grants to Moldova for purchasing agricultural machinery. The money is provided based on a grant agreement, by exchange of notes between the Government of Moldova and the Government of Japan, for implementing the Project “Conservation agriculture – development of a sustainable soil management system in the Republic of Moldova”. The agreement was signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur and Japan’s Ambassador to Moldova Masanobu Yoshii on March 7.
Japanese experts to identify areas in which Moldova can get technical assistance
A mission of experts of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is paying visits to Moldova to determine the necessities of the agricultural sector and to identify other specific areas where Japan can initiate technical assistance projects, Japan’s Ambassador to Moldova Masanobu Yoshii announced in a news conference. The diplomat said the JICA experts have meetings with all the interested sides, from farmers to the governmental authorities, while the results of their assessments will be made public in a workshop that will be held in Chisinau in June or July.
● THURSDAY, March 9
Termoelectrica requests higher heat tariffs
Heat supplier Termoelectrica submitted an application to the National Agency for Energy Regulation, whereby it asks that the tariffs of heat supplied to end-users should be updated and raised from 1,068 lei per Gcal to 1,132 lei. In its application, Termoelectrica says the tariff was calculated based on the technical indicators specified in the production plan for 2017, but also taking into account the macroeconomic indicators for 2017-2019 and the exchange rate of the US dollar.
17m lei in ecological tax collected into national public budget
The ecological tax so far this year has brought 17 million lei into the national public budget. The environmental tax accounts for 12 million lei of this sum, while 5 million lei was collected for emissions and discharges of pollutants and waste storage. The environmental tax is paid by legal entities, regardless of the type of ownership and legal form of organization. It is also paid by private individuals who carry out entrepreneurial activities and who produce, import or purchase goods in plastic packing from business entities operating in Moldova that do not have fiscal relations with the national budget system. It is about products in non-corrugated cardboard, with or without aluminum foil or polyethylene.
Energy efficiency project approved by Chisinau Council
The Chisinau Municipal Council on March 9 approved the energy efficiency and thermal insulation of public buildings project that is financed by the EBRD and EIB. The project was supported by 17 councilors of the Liberal Party, four councilors of the bloc “Iurie Leanca”, two councilors of the Liberal Democratic Party, one councilor of the Democratic Party and one of the Communist Party and by unaffiliated councilors Oleg Onishchenko and Ion Stefanita. The councilors of Our Party and the Party of Socialists abstained.
Over 460m lei subsidies paid to agricultural producers so far
The Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture resumed the process of paying subsidies to agricultural producers based on applications submitted in 2016, which could not be satisfied. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, last year the Agency received 4,530 applications for subsidies to the value of about 640 million lei. The money that was available in 2016 was used to pay 230 million lei subsidies based on 1,643 applications. In January-February this year, there was paid 231 million lei subsidies based on 2,100 applications. So, the Agency so far paid 461 million lei in subsidies to agricultural producers.
Winemaking and Winegrowing Register to be implemented in Moldova
The National Office of Vine and Wine will manage a Winemaking and Winegrowing Register that will include all the companies that make, store and sell wholesale wine and wine products and grow and sell grapes for making wine. The regulations concerning the functioning of the Register with the aim of keeping a record of all the wineries and vineyards of the country were approved by the Cabinet on March 9. These oblige the owners of vineyards and wineries to present grape harvest and wine production statements and stipulate the conditions of accessing the Register.
NAER discusses requests to increase electricity tariffs
The enterprises that form part of the Fenosa group in Moldova requested to increase the electric power distribution and supply tariffs as of April 1 this year. On March 9, the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) held public debates on the tariff adjustment requests. Sergiu Codreanu, regulation expert of “Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie”, said the tariffs should be of 1.6 lei per kw/h for end-users connected to high voltage lines, of 1.71 lei for end-users connected to average voltage lines and of 2.26 lei for end-users connected to low voltage lines. So, the average rise in the tariff is of about 12.7%.
● FRIDAY, March 10
Authorized Economic Operator Program to be adjusted to EU’s
The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Program of Moldova will be adjusted to the EU’s program. This means that simplified customs procedures will be applied in the EU to firms with the AEO status granted in Moldova, while the number of checks performed by customs services will be reduced.
Provision of direct flights to Switzerland under negotiation
The Government of Moldova authorized the initiation of negotiations on the draft air transport agreement with the competent authorities of Switzerland. Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure Iurie Chirinciuc said the signing of such a document will enable to extend the list of destinations to which passengers can get from the Chisinau International Airport.
EU helps 15 entrepreneurs from Moldova to develop businesses
Fifteen entrepreneurs won grants of up to €18,400 from the European Union to start new businesses and develop small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in ATU Gagauzia and Taraclia. The selected entrepreneurs will also benefit from technical support and business coaching during one year. The selected business ideas include vegetable growing in greenhouses, fruit packing and storing, manufacture of bakery products, manufacture of textile materials or metal ware. These businesses will create about 90 new jobs and will supply new high quality goods and services on the local market.
Premier’s Economic Council sets priorities for this year
The amendment of the Labor Code, reduction in the number of mandatory documents required by the State Labor Inspectorate and diminution of informal employment and illegal payment of salaries are among the priorities of the Economic Council working under the Prime Minister for 2017. These were made public in a meeting on March 10. The representatives of business associations proposed creating two new working groups that would formulate proposals for developing the ICT sector and would identify solutions for eliminating the constraints experienced by private businesses operating in the health sector.
● SATURDAY, March 11
Economy Ministry reviews up economic growth forecast
The Ministry of Economy reviewed the economic growth forecast for this year from 3% up to 4.5%. According to the Ministry’s forecast note, the GDP in 2017-2020 is expected to grow by 3.5-4.5% a year. The growth will be determined by the improvement of the economic-financial situation worldwide, more intense promotion of exports, development of private enterprises and provision of state and other kinds of support for these.