State Depository to be liquidated

The State Depository is to be liquidated under a Government decision, Info-Prim Neo reports. Finance Minister Veaceslav Negruta explained it wasn't the Government's task to fill the bullion reserve, but rather the National Bank's. In such countries as Lithuania or Estonia state depositories have also been liquidated, he added. The gold and silver bullion will be transmitted to the National Bank and other valuables like jewelry will be partly transmitted to the Ministry of Culture's Cultural Fund. Other assets like the Depository's vaults and confiscated goods will be transmitted to the State Tax Inspectorate. Minister Negruta declined to tell the value of the bullion and valuables kept in the Depository. At a staff of 10, the Depository cost about one million lei annually to maintain.