Moldova received $211.7m in grants and technical assistance in 2007

The value of grants and technical assistance offered to Moldova by international organisations and foreign governments amounted to 211.7 million USD, Info-Prim Neo learned from the National Bank of Moldova. Money sent by persons working abroad for more than one year (entered in the balance of payments as non-residents) account for the most part (66%) of the total external transfers. These transfers amounted to an estimated 808.9 million USD. Direct foreign investment in 2007 was estimated at 448 million USD. In 2007, the National Bank of Moldova used 33.3 million USD from the IMF financing programme, repaying 22.1 million USD for its previously taken loans and increasing its liabilities by 13%. The Government increased its external debt by 47.4 million USD, planning 51.7 million USD for reimbursement, of which 21.2 million USD were rescheduled and the rest paid. The direct government debt registered a 6.7% increase. The stock of government-guaranteed liabilities decreased by 13% at the end of 2007 compared with the end of 2006. The private sector received new loans in the amount of 584.8 million USD, of which 144.8 million USD were taken by banks, and the rest by economic entities from other sectors. State currency reserves as of 31 December 2007 totalled 1.3 billion USD, a 528.9 million USD year-on-year increase. 77.8 million USD were directed for the payment of external debts, 12.1 million USD for maintaining embassies and 2.9 million USD for honouring membership fees in international organisations. The National Bank of Moldova bought from the internal market currency in the amount of 367.3 million USD. Moldova’s gross external debt at the end of 2007 made up 3.2 billion USD, of which 37.8% are short-term liabilities. The greatest share in the total external debt belongs to economic entities – 43.9%. The share of public and public guaranteed external debt rose during 2007 by 6.9%, making up 936.5 million USD. The non-guaranteed private external debt totalled 2.3 billion USD, increasing by 39.8% as against the end of 2006.