● MONDAY, October 10
Exports 3.5% down in eight months
Moldova’s exports of goods in the first eight months of this year came to US$1.2 billion, a decrease of 3.5% compared with the same period last year. Exports to the CIS member states declined by 19.7%. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the exports of Moldovan goods were by 6.8% lower and contributed to a 4.4% reduction in total exports. Exports to Kazakhstan, Latvia, Cyprus, and Spain decreased the most. Exports to the EU member states came to US$784 million, a 1.3% decline on last year. The re-exports of foreign goods rose by 2.6%.
● TUESDAY, October 11
Premier asks to resume receipt of applications for agricultural subsidies
Prime Minister Pavel Filip requested the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture to resume the receipt of applications for agricultural subsidies even if the agricultural subsidization fund was already divided out. The given requests will be satisfied in 2017. According to the executive, 2,659 applications for subsidies for 2016 were accepted and then the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture stopped the receipt in accordance with the regulation concerning the distribution of the agricultural subsidization fund for 2016.
● WEDNESDAY, October 12
Mobiasbanca hosts exhibition of sculptures, paintings and graphics
An exhibition of sculptures, paintings and graphics was mounted at the commercial bank Mobiasbanca. More than 100 bronze sculptures and paintings of national artists were exhibited at the bank’s head office and at several branches. The works can be admired until November 30. Mobiasbanca staged such exhibitions earlier too. In 2015, it hosted an exhibition of contemporary art, showcasing the talents of seven artists of the new current of modern art in Moldova. “For Mobiasbanca, it already became a tradition to rediscover and promote arts, cultural heritage and national artists by hosting different events. By this year’s exhibition, we aim to appreciate the dialogue of the general public with the works of national sculptors and painters, to inspire ourselves by the diverse forms of artistic expression in our daily work and to show once again that Moldova has fantastic cultural potential,” stated the Chief Executive Officer of Mobiasbanca Ridha Tekaia.
● THURSDAY, October 13
Applications for agricultural subsidies to be accepted by Oct. 31
The Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture will restart to receive applications for agricultural subsidies, on the initiative of Prime Minister Pavel Filip. The applications from agricultural producers will be accepted until October 31, but there will be authorized payments within the funds available for this year. The other subsidies will be paid next year.
Applications for agricultural subsidies accepted starting with Oct. 13
The process of collecting applications for agricultural subsidies that was stopped on September 27 was resumed on October 13. Applications can be submitted to the local subdivisions of the Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture by October 31. “We expect those producers that made investments and sustained costs that are eligible for being subsidized. The amounts asked for through the applications collected until September 27 from 2,700 producers are over the limit of the agriculture subsidization fund for 2016. Thus, the applications are to be examined and paid from the agriculture subsidization fund for 2017,” stated the Agency’s director Nicolae Ciubuc.
● SATURDAY, October 15
Pirkka Tapiola underlines necessity of accelerating reconstruction of roads
The Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola stressed the necessity of accelerating progress in implementing contracts in the field of road infrastructure. The issue was discussed in a meeting with the administration of the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure. The officials conferred on the projects in the national road infrastructure sector initiated with the financial support of the EU and discussed the necessity of extending the term of the grant provided for building the road that bypasses Ungheni town, which ensures connection with the Targul-Mures - Iasi - Ungheni highway by a bridge situated in Zagarancea village. The European Union offered €25 million for building roads that bypass Vulcanesti and Ungheni towns and Bahmut village, on the Chisinau-Ungheni road.
Moldovan-Romanian projects become Energy Community priorities
The projects to interconnect the electric power and natural gas transportation systems of Moldova and Romania were included in the list of Projects of Energy Community Interest and Projects of Mutual Interest. Such a decision was taken in a meeting of the Energy Community Ministerial Council. According to Deputy Minister of Economy Valeriu Triboi, who represented Moldova at the 14th Ministerial Council of the Energy Community, the given decision was taken at the suggestion of the Permanent High Level Group of the Energy Community.
