Govt starts talks with Commission of European Communities to sign 2008 National Action Program, worth 62.3 M euros

Moldova relies on the support of the Commission of the European Communities (CEC) in accomplishing the 2008 National Action Program with a total budget of 62.3 million euros. The program comprises three major components and the government has started negotiations with the CEC for signing three non-reimbursable financing agreements, Info-Prim Neo reports. Natalia Catrinescu, the chief of the Direction for Coordinating Policies and External Assistance within the Government's chancellery, said that half of this budget, plus 16 million euros, the bonus offered to Moldova for the results obtained in implementing the Moldova–EU Action Plan, totaling 46.6 million euros, will be allotted for implementing the reform in the area of healthcare, the actions provided in the healthcare development Strategy, especially for raising efficiency and quality of the medical services for people, extending the access to them. The grant of 46.6 million euros will have two components. 42 million euros will be given to the budget as a support, and 4.6 million euros – as technical assistance. The disbursement will be made yearly in three stages, (12, 15 and 15 million euros). Another financing agreement that is to be negotiated and signed by the government and the CEC is for supporting program “Justice, freedom and security – improving the border management and migration to Moldova.” The support is 10 million euros, for a period of 36 months. Since January 1, 2007, Moldova has a borderline of 450 km with the EU. It is a country with a big number of emigrants to the community states. The actions provided in the program pursue to create a communication infrastructure, to strengthen the capacities in the area of border management, to solve the interconnected and complementary issues dealing with the freedom of movement, the assistance in issuing biometric passports, implementing the Mobility Partnership of Moldova – EU and other actions. The third financing agreement totaling 5.7 million euros is meant for the projects of technical assistance and the Twining projects as a support in implementing the Moldova – EU Action Plan. Moldova has become eligible for the Twining instrument since 2007. The main goal of these projects is harmonizing the legislation, as well as transferring good European practices through cooperating with a similar EU institution. Their achievement is important for the European integration of Moldova and they will contribute to continue the dialogue with the communities, to improve the relations of good neighborhood with the EU. [Info- Prim Neo’s note:] The 2008 National Action Program is an instrument of Partnership and European Neighborhood through which the European Commission offers assistance for achieving the priorities, identified through bilateral consultations with the Government of the beneficiary country. It is an instrument within the European Partnership and Neighborhood, a big instrument of assistance also called the “national tire.”