Little and high hopes at Donors' Consultative Group Meeting

Moldova received positive signs of obtaining financial assistance from a number of European states and the matter will be decided at the Donors' Consultative Group Meeting taking place in Brussels today, say members of the Alliance for European Integration. At the same time, their colleagues from the Opposition are sure the Government of Moldova will obtain nothing as the European partners will make only statements, Info-Prim Neo reports. Liberal-Democrat MP Veaceslav Ionita, chairman of the parliamentary commission for economy, budget and finance, said Moldova has already a clear view as regards its development so that it could receive financial support in the near future. “The donors could not agree with the Communist authorities and the money came to Moldova through the international organizations. Now I hope they will be able to work directly with the Government of Moldova,” Veaceslav Ionita said. “Since 1998, when the economy started to grow and the countries of the region such as Romania benefited from different financial support for coming closer to the EU, Moldova has been absent. Effort was made to include Moldova in the list of Southeastern European countries, but this chance was missed and now it is in the group of countries closer to Asia,” Ionita said. Asked about Moldova's necessities in the short term, Veaceslav Ionita said the Government needs budgetary support so as to be able to fulfill its obligations. “The foreigners trust us and are confident that the money will be now spent correctly,” Veaceslav Ionita said. Communist MP Igor Dodon, former First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, considers that Vlad Filat will return from Brussels only with statements, but with no financial support. “The donors will probably speak about the financial resources that have been allocated or that are to get to Moldova. I mean the funds of the Compact Program and the money promised by the IMF. The EU's budget is approved once in three years. I don't think that now, in the middle of the year, some of the countries will be able to support us,” Dodon said. Prime Minister Vlad Filat went to Brussels accompanied by a large number of ministers to present the major projects at the Donors' Consultative Group Meeting for Moldova. Experts Igor Munteanu, Valeriu Prohnitski and Valentina Bodrug-Lungu also form part of the delegation.