● TUESDAY, September 26
Market studies to include data from Transnistria as well
The business community will be able to access data about the market on the left side of the Nistru. A partnership for conducting common market studies was established by the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Tiraspol and the Moldova-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The cooperation platform was set up within the Support to Confidence Building Measures Program that is implemented by UNDP Moldova. The market studies enable the business community and other interested sides to find out the consumption potential, quality of provided services, consumer satisfaction and other data not only on the right side of the Nistru, but also on its left side, which is a novelty. Those interested can go directly to the Moldova-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry or the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Tiraspol to order market studies.
USAID to support development of IT sector in Moldova
USAID aims to assist the Moldovan authorities in developing the IT sector not only in Chisinau, but also in other regions of the country by creating IT centers of excellence similar to TekWill in Balti, Cahul and Comrat. The announcement was made by USAID Moldova Country Representatives Karen Hilliard in a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Octavian Calmac, Minister of Economy and Infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, Karen Hilliard said USAID is ready to take an active part in the finalization of the Law on IT Parks and in different activities to promote aboard the Moldovan Government’s offer as regards the implementation of investment or other kinds of projects in these parks.
State Tax Service to auction property transferred under state ownership
The real estate that is transferred under state ownership based on the succession right (property without an owner or confiscated property) will be sold by the State Tax Service at auctions. Such a provision is contained in a draft decision to amend and supplement the regulations concerning the recording, assessing and selling of confiscated and sequestrated property, property without an owner, perishable products or products with a short shelf life, corpus delicti, property transferred under state ownership based on the succession right and treasures. Senior inspector at the State Tax Service Olga Babanski has told that this property is now transferred free to the local public authorities of the area where it is located. The draft decision envisions that this property will be sold at public auctions. The goal of the decision is to increase the amounts collected into the state budget by selling the real estate defined in the regulations.
Grape harvest expected to be higher than last year
The grape harvest this year is estimated to be of 620,000 tonnes, including 110,000 tonnes of table grapes. The figures are higher than last year, when 615,700 tonnes of grapes were collected, including 86,700 tonnes of table grapes. The Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment said the vineyards this year total 135,000 hectares. Of these, 129,000 hectares yield grapes. The associations of small producers plan to gather 410,000 tonnes of grapes, including 90,000 tonnes of table grapes. An amount of 300,000 tonnes of grapes, 280,000 tonnes of which are European sorts and 20,000 tonnes are sorts of the type Isabella, will be processed.
Moldova chosen to be World Capital of Wine Tourism in 2018
The Republic of Moldova in 2018 will be the World Capital of Wine Tourism, under the aegis of the UN, and the host of the third Global Conference on Wine Tourism that is expected to bring together people from 70 countries. Tourism Agency director general Stanislav Rusu told a news conference that the selection of Moldova as the host of this event is considered a victory for the image of the country as a tourist destination and this will place it in the world rankings of wine tours destinations. The Tourism Agency presented the first video clip about Moldova’s wine tourism called “Let’s raise a glass of wine in Moldova”. Stanislav Rusu said the wine tourism is the “must see” that tempts foreign tourists to visit Moldova. The video cost 9,500 lei, which represented public funds. The Tourism Agency aims to soon produce thematic video clips about ecological, rural, gastronomic, cultural and adventure tourism.
Romania transfers last tranche of €150m loan to Moldova
The Romanian authorities transferred €40 million to Moldova. This is the last tranche of the loan of €150 million provided by Romania to Moldova. According to the Ministry of Finance, the loan is used to finance costs planned in the 2017 state budget law.
● WEDNESDAY, September 27
Moldova aims to regain right to export milk products to EU
Milk production in the Republic of Moldova decreased significantly during the last 25 years. In 1990 the Moldovan firms yearly produced almost 1 million and a half of tonnes of milk, but now yield about 400,000 tonnes. The data were presented by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ion Parea in an international conference entitled “Quality and safety of milk” on September 27. “In 1990, most of the animals were publicly owned. The potential was then concentrated in agricultural enterprises. Now many animals are privately owned and the results achieved in the private sector are different from those achieved in other states,” said Ion Parea, noting that the sector needs to be urgently recovered. Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Peter Michalko said the export of milk to the EU market is monitored strictly. Moldova, if it wants to export this product, should analyze the deficiencies in the sector and adjust its policies to consolidate production halls so as to meet the EU standards.
Moldovan-Chinese relations develop constantly and healthily, ambassador
The Moldovan-Chinese diplomatic relations that reached 25 years this year develop constantly and healthily, with emphasis on the cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, Ambassador Zhang Yinghong said in the reception given in Chisinau to celebrate the 68th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. Zhang Yinghong said Moldova’s exports to China rose by 15% a year during the last few years. “Both of the sides actively promote the Free Trade Agreement and I’m sure that the signing of this agreement will undoubtedly give a new beneficial impetus to the cooperation between our states in the commercial-economic and investment areas,” said the Chinese diplomat. Zhang Yinghong said the Chinese side is ready to make concerted effort, together with Chisinau, to consolidate political confidence and to support pragmatic cooperation for the prosperity of the two states.
Government extends time limit for creating infrastructure of industrial park “FAIR”
The deadline for putting into operation the technical and production infrastructure of the industrial park “FAIR” in Durlesti town was extended for two years by a Government decision. The private capital company SRL “Venador-Prim”, which is the investor of the park, pledged to allocate over €3 million for implementing the project. The project will last for 15 months. Owing to the delays in obtaining authorizations for initiating building works, the investor didn’t manage to meet the deadline.
European standards on food processing and sale to be imposed in Moldova
The Cabinet approved the draft law on general hygiene requirements for food products that transposes the European norms in the field. The bill defines the general hygiene requirements for food products in the production, processing, keeping, transportation, selling and export processes. The entrepreneurs will use drinking water to make food products and will choose appropriate rooms to prevent the contamination of products. The primary producers will ensure the cleanness of the slaughtered animals and will keep information about the products used to feed and care for animals and about the suffered diseases. The draft law also contains requirements concerning the keeping, storing and sale of food products. These should be kept in clean rooms connected to sewerage and drinking water supply systems and with ventilation and lighting systems.
● THURSDAY, September 28
Moldova goes up in Global Competitiveness Report
The Republic of Moldova has improved its position in the Global Competitiveness Report 2017-2018 that was published recently by the World Economic Forum. The country climbed 11 spots to the 89h (up from the 100th) among the 137 countries included in the rankings. According to the Government’s press service, such a development is mainly due to the improvement of the macroeconomic situation and the components related to the quality of the work of state institutions, efficiency of public policies and the regulatory framework.
Another consignment of Moldovan plums banned from entering Russia
A batch of 20 tonnes of Moldovan plums returned to Moldova after this was banned from entering Russia at the border crossing point “Krupets” of Kursk region. According to the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of Russia “Rosselkhoznadzor”, the Oriental moth in an active state was detected in the consignment of plums as a result of inspections. The competent authorities of Moldova haven’t yet commented on this case.
Farmers got 67m lei in subsidies in two months
The Agency for Intervention and Payments in Agriculture (AIPA) by September 28 paid 67 million lei subsidies based on about 700 applications submitted in July-August. AIPA director Nicolae Ciubuc told a news conference that another 1,500 applications filed in August-September are being examined. The subsidization fund for 2017 totals 900 million lei, 340 million lei of which was used to clear the debts to farmers for 2016, while 30 million lei represents the state’s contribution to the National Vine and Wine Fund. “The process of accepting applications for subsides for 2017 started this July and since then, during three months, the AIPA received over 2,200 applications from agricultural producers, to the total value of over 300 million lei,” stated Nicolae Ciubuc.
● SATURDAY, September, 30
Memorandum of intent to rehabilitate national roads
Moldova and China signed a memorandum of intent to rehabilitate national roads. The company Metallurgical Group Corporation, under the patronage of the Chinese government, could implement projects to rehabilitate roads in Moldova after it conducts a feasibility study and presents the project documentation. According to the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, Metallurgical Corporation has international experience and has worked in more than 70 countries with a team of professional employees totaling over 50,000. The road rehabilitation projects will be implemented in four stages. At the first stage, there will be repaired 181.9 km of roads, at a cost of €159 million. At the next stages, the road sections that will be rehabilitated and the costs will be agreed in working meetings.
