IMF: Moldova's GDP to grow 6.5% annually

The International Monetary Fund projects the Moldovan Gross Domestic Product to grow 6.5% annually in 2008-2009, what is below the CIS average. According to IMF's World Economic Outlook 2008, this year the inflation will reach 13.7% in Moldova, and it is forecast to be 9.7% in 2009. According to the authors of the report, the current account deficit in 2008 will be 19.9%, and in 2009 – 19.1% , Moldova being a leader among the CIS country in this respect, as the index is 12-13 times bigger than the average in the region. According to the World Economic Outlook, the biggest economic growths in the CIS will be registered by Azerbaijan – 16.4% in 2008 and 16.0% - in 2009, Turkmenistan – 10.8% and 10.3%, as these countries have plenty of hydrocarbons. Russia's economic will slow down from 7% to 5.5%, as Georgia is to score the largest drops: from 12.4% in 2007 to 3.5% in 2008, and 4% in 2009. According to the IMF, this development is due to the Russian military intervention in August-September, 2008. Ukraine's economic growth will also decelerate from 6.4% in 2008 to only 2.5% in 2009. The IMF forecasts a global economic growth of 3%, specifying there will be no world recession.