Press Release
on the organization of the debate “Economic year 2016 as reviewed by entrepreneurs and experts”.  Developing Political Culture through Public Debates”. Public debates series held by the news agency IPN in its conference room with the support of the German Foundation “Hanns Seidel”

Held on December 19, Debate 68 brought together the economic and financial experts Roman Chirca; Veaceslav Negruţa, also former Finance Minister; Iurie Morcotîlo of the Expert-Grup think-tank; and Leonid Cerescu, president of the National Employers Confederation.

The debate was rather substantial and included very insightful and varied points of view from leading specialists in the field. This was despite the fact that government representatives, in particular from the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance, couldn’t make it to the debate.

In particular, the speakers named the moratorium imposed by the Government on state inspections at business entities as one of the most important events of the economic year 2016. At the same time, the preliminary approval by Parliament of the bill on the liberalization of capital and tax stimulation, also called ‘tax amnesty, was named as the “surprise of the year”.

According to the chairman of the National Employers Confederation of Moldova Leonid Cerescu, 2016 was a difficult one. The imposition of a moratorium on state inspections enabled to somehow rethink the situation in which the business entities are. Among the important events of the year were the activation of the platforms of communication between state institutions and the business sector and the discussions on the modification of the Labor Code that led to new relations between employers and employees.

Economic expert Iurie Morcotyrlo, of the independent think tank “Expert-Grup”, mentioned three most important events that marked the economic year 2016, according to him. These are: the imposition of a moratorium on state inspections; missing of one more year for improving economic growth and approval of the law on capital liberalization and tax stimulation. “We have the same deficiencies on the labor market and the same economic growth constraints,” he stated.

Ex-minister of finance Veaceslav Negruta said the fact that the Government was issued with a mandate to negotiate an agreement with the IMF, and this was politically accepted, is another event that deserves attention. “This event was aimed at bringing back to the Republic of Moldova coherent policies in economy and finance, which would give credibility,” stated the expert. According to him, the adoption of the package of laws on the banking sector is another important event. This was a condition for signing the memorandum with the IMF, for solving the crisis in the banking sector. “Several records set in 2006, including the lack of an adopted budget, are the third event. The Republic of Moldova worked for over six months without an adopted budget and this showed that what the Government does is not as important as the internal rules that motivate or demotivate the business entities.”

According to economic and financial expert Roman Chirca, not really positive events were witnessed in 2016 even if it was a year of stabilization, when the economic decline was stopped. “Our economy depends 50% on remittances, while the share of imports in the balance of trade decreased. The direct investment diminished considerably,” he stated, adding that the Government acts unwisely as regards the ‘tax amnesty’ and the conception is rather raw.
 

As with other debates, the event had a good outreach. The presence of cameras from two live streaming portals alone, privesc.eu and realitatea.md, brought a few hundred thousand viewers, which is quite impressive for the media events taking place in Moldova.

The Agency published 5 news stories on the debate (see the English version of www.ipn.md): on 19.12.16, “Economic year 2016 as seen by experts” - http://www.ipn.md/en/special/81024; “Veaceslav Negruta about initiative to liberalize capital: it is surprise of the year” - http://www.ipn.md/en/economie-business/81021; “Expert Roman Chirca explains benefits of capital liberalization” - http://www.ipn.md/en/economie-business/81027; “Leonid Cerescu: 2016 was marked by initiation of communication with business sector” - http://www.ipn.md/en/economie-business/81029; “Transparency within public authorities can reduce corruption, expert” - http://www.ipn.md/en/economie-business/81031.   

Valeriu Vasilica, director of IPN