In 2014-2018, the Republic of Moldova was to get over €400 million for implementing the priorities stipulated in the Association Agreement with the European Union. About 60% of this financing has never entered the country, director of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative “Viitorul” Igor Munteanu stated in the program “Emphasis on today” on TVR Moldova channel, IPN reports.
Igor Munteanu said this shows that the state will receive less money in the future because it didn’t show capacities to use this assistance and Moldova thus freezes the natural growth and places undeserved obstacles in the dialogue with the EU. “If we enjoyed more credibility, we could access other programs and other development funds as well,” he stated.
In the Eastern Partnership, the Republic of Moldova continues to be considered as a country that made particular progress owing to the visa free regime and to the fact that it moved faster than other countries in obtaining a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, but this does not bring sufficient resources for developing the economy and the state institutions, stated the expert.
Director of the Institute for European Politics and Reforms Iulian Groza in the same program said that the Republic of Moldova has so far obtained no cent from the EU budget assistance planned for 2017. “What worries me the most is that we are in the second half of the year and, knowing the internal procedures for taking decisions as to the disbursements at the European Commission, I think the risk that the direct budget assistance scheduled for this year will not be obtained is rather big,” he stated.
According to Iulian Groza, a gap of about €100 million could appear in the budget by the end of this year and this will entail a budget review.
