US Government funds USD 25 mln to support Anti-Corruption initiatives in Moldova

The US Government will provide Moldova with financial assistance worth USD 24.7 mln to support initiatives in combating corruption under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Programme. On Thursday, Moldova and the United States signed the agreement regarding the initiation of this preliminary Programme in Chisinau. The US Ambassador in Chisinau, Michael D.Kirby stated that the agreement represents a more advanced stage in the partnership between the American people and Moldovan Government. “This programme is designed to extirpate corruption in the judiciary, health care system, etc., a phenomenon that makes the life of Moldovan people every day difficult. At the same time, the Programme has the aim of transforming Moldova from a country in transition, freeing it of soviet inheritance of favouritism and laws unequally applied, into a modern society, into a real aspirant for the position of member of the European Union, added the ambassador. Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev mentioned in his speech that the Government intends to use the funding to reduce corruption, improve economic growth, create conditions for a developing sphere of affairs and increase the volume of direct investments. “The progresses, even the modest ones, made with own forces, inspire us with trust that once Moldova receives the status of beneficiary of the Compact assistance on the part of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), it will become an example for policies in the process of combating this phenomenon, destructive for our state”, said Tarlev. The Programme assists countries that are on the “threshold of eligibility” for Millennium Challenge Account assistance, known as Compact assistance, by helping to address specific policy weaknesses. In November, the MCC Board of Directors named Moldova eligible for Compact assistance. Eligibility for such assistance is reserved for countries that score above the median on independently measured indices regarding political and economic freedom, healthcare spending, fiscal and trade policies, and judicial fairness. The Corporation was designed to reward the good performance of Governments and also to create incentives for countries to adopt good policies that create a foundation for poverty reduction and economic growth. The Government is hopeful of a funding worth USD 300 mln in the future under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Programme.