The Institute for Development and Expertise of Projects (IDEP Moldova) calls on the Moldovan authorities to back the citizens, mayors and young people and to increase the absorption of European funds by supporting the ECIPES program that aims to provide European funding using the electronic signature.
In a news conference at IPN, IDEP programs director Iurie Calestru, co-author of the ECIPES program, said the beneficiaries of the program can be young people between the ages of 18 and 35 seeking to launch a business (€5 000 for a venture in the services sector or € 15 000 for a manufacturing venture, €12 000 being earmarked for the purchase of equipment or tools); Moldovan municipalities that are twinned with EU municipalities and organize at least one annual joint activity, a maximum or €10 000 in EU funding is to be channeled into a single local development project whose total value does not exceed €20 000, and Moldovan citizens wishing to replace their electrical appliances with A +++ items (€100 per citizen who hands over used equipment).
According to Iurie Calestru, the actions support the EU objectives, including the European Climate Pact. IDEP requested the European Commission to constitute a working group for developing this program with the involvement of the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions, representatives of the Republic of Moldova. IDEP can provide comprehensive information and the opinions of all the involved sides. The European Commission waited for an approach from the central authorities of the Republic of Moldova, but nothing happened.
The current authorities presented such initiatives as the fight against corruption, building of authentic rule of law, increasing pensions to at least 2,000 lei and these authorities should be interested in ensuring European funds, directly from the European Commission, for the citizens, mayors and young people, using the possibilities of information technologies, in accordance with the priorities of European institutions, creating also conditions for digital and ecological transitions.
During 24 months, the program had been consulted with European institutions and a legislative proposal for exempting the export of used equipment within this program from taxes was formulated and submitted. There were identified the legal provisions that create the normative framework needed for developing and implementing this program without the participation of any rapid player.
Iurie Calestru noted that owing to the fact that the whole program will be based on an online program, with a digital signature to be used for direct contact, the Republic of Moldova will align itself with the European directives. To develop a similar program, the authorities should take 90% of the actions that were already taken by IDEP. This effort will last, but the country does not have so much time.
