Valeriu Lazar: Foreign aid won't replace private investment

The goals related to the achievement of a sustainable economic growth are included in the economic compartment of the program “Rethink Moldova”, which was presented at the meeting of the donors for Moldova in Brussels on March 24, Economy Minister Valeriu Lazar said at a news conference today, Info-Prim Neo reports. Valeriu Lazar said that the medium-term goals included in the economic compartment of the program and approved by the community of donors are the following: improve business conditions; increase exports by creating industrial parks; develop a high value agriculture; develop infrastructure by stimulating investment in road construction and rehabilitation; launch public-private partnerships to develop infrastructure projects; implement information and communication technologies, etc. The minister said that nearly €433 million out of the €1.9 billion to be offered to Moldova through 2013 will be devoted to economic projects. “These funds will be supplemented with domestic resources, which the government will invest in actions to remove barriers for starting and developing businesses. These actions are mostly efforts to ease procedures and improve services for the business representatives”, the minister said. Financing for energy projects will represent €40 million; road rehabilitation will get €190 million; water supply & sewer projects – €73 million; high value agriculture – €84 million; regional development – €25 million; information and communication technologies – €0.25 million. “I said that the financing offered by the community of donors will be supplemented in all the fields with domestic resources. But the public resources will not be enough to implement all our projects. These funds, no matter how large, will not be able to replace private investment. So improving the business and investment climate in order to attract both domestic and foreign private investments remains a priority”, said Valeriu Lazăr.