Voronin says Russia's loan better than IMF's 'puffing and conditions'

Moldova's outgoing president Vladimir Voronin has told the CIS-wide network MIR in an interview that the loan offered by Russia is a 'unique investment' in the Moldovan economy. “This loan means a lot more than that offered by the International Monetary Fund, with its puffing and conditions”, said Voronin. At the end of June Russia's prime minister Vladimir Putin promised Moldova a $500 million loan, and the first installment, worth $150 million, could be available shortly. Vladimir Voronin also stated in the interview with MIR that, in the context of the global recession, lifting the bans on Moldovan exports to Russia was an important step, as long as the Moldovan goods met certain standards. Voronin reiterated the need to urgently solve some burning issues within the CIS. “It would be good to speed up the settlement of a number of problems, including in the areas of pricing policies, pricing mechanisms and access to markets. Lifting the bans on Moldovan goods on the Russian market is of enormous help to Moldova”, said Voronin.