Nationalization should become a key structural reform, Economy Minister

Moldtelecom, Air Moldova, the power distribution networks in the north and other major companies, in certain conditions and in a certain period of time, could be transferred to the private sector, stated Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar at a press conference. “We will choose a modern way to achieve this transfer. It doesn't necessarily involve privatization. In one case this could be a lease deal, in another a trust arrangement. There would be created public-private partnerships to administrate them. Modern economic practices afford a vast menu of denationalization instruments”, said the minister. Valeriu Lazar revealed that the Government's development partners, including the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, and EBRD, agreed to offer assistance to the Government in the period prior to the denationalization. Lazar also said that the Ministry of Economy would work with other ministries to identify companies that would make good candidates for denationalization, and would review the list to strike off the state assets which should not be denationalized. “It is not in the interest of the state to own companies that are not of vital importance. These would be put up for auction and investment contests or would be transferred to the private sector through other mechanisms. The vision of the Government is to make denationalization one of the key structural reforms that we intend to accomplish. Denationalization should make these assets efficient, lucrative, competitive”, stated Valeriu Lazar.