Inflation in January was 1.5%

The rate of inflation in January hit 1.5%, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the Institute of Economics, Finance and Statistics of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. According to specialists of the Academy, the high inflation rate stems from the 2.8% rise in the prices of food products and the 2.5% increase in the prices of the services provided for the population. The specialists consider that the rise in consumer prices is a consequence of the 2007 drought that continues to influence the prices of food products and the import prices of energy resources – components of the services provided for the population (fuel, natural gas etc.). The statistical data show that the centralized supply of natural gas grew dearer by 3.3%; the heating charges rose by 4.2%, the electric power for household consumption by 3.1%, the urban transportation services by 5.5%, the interstate railway transport by 3.6%. The increase in the population’s consumption constitutes an insignificant factor given that the prices of non-food products fell by only 0.1%, the experts say. Early in January, monitors of the International Monetary Fund ascertained that the high inflation rate continues to be the main concern for the Moldovan economy. At the same time, the central bank considers that the objective of insuring the single-digit inflation in 2008 is achievable.