A group of producers assert the state wastes mullions of lei when buying thermopan PVC windows at the lowest prices. According to the producers, the companies that win the public procurement tenders by offering lower prices than the real ones later economize on the quality of the materials, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference on April 11, the window producers said that about 700 companies that make PVC windows operate in Moldova, but about 70% of them wok illegally. Vitalie Gnatiuc, the commercial director of Plastal Company, said the producers that obey the principles of loyal competition are not satisfied with the created situation. Many of the companies working in the field disappear after they sell products of a poor quality and nobody bears responsibility. Iuliana Osoianu, the director of Fermod Plast Company, said that the population does not know much about the production of PVC windows and the producers that aim only to make money profit from this. “The ethical producers in our country are not supported. The state pleads for energy efficiency, but purchases windows of a poor quality, wasting thus money, while the clients lose confidence in the producers,” she stated. The manager of Profsistem SRL Natalia Gudima said the authorities do not take measures to prevent the dishonest business practices. The dishonorable producers are known, but nobody does something, not even the Agency for Consumer Protection. Ghenadie Osoianu, the director of TermopanMD, said that the responsible producers want to have a dialogue with the authorities that should work out a set of rules and standards concerning the production of thermopan windows. “We recommend switching over to the European standards,” he stated. Complast-Design manager Iurie Zagaievschi said the legislation governing the production of windows is outdated. “The authorities should set minimum quality standards as regards the thermopan windows. We do not have even a laboratory that would technically analyze these windows,” he said. Andrei Druta, the representative of Evroglass Moldova Company, said that they are often called by persons who complain about the quality of the windows bought from their firm, but in reality the windows were purchased from unethical producers. “We want to launch an awareness-raising campaign so that the people know the advantages provided by the thermopan windows of a high quality,” he said. The producers informed that the PVC windows of a high quality cost minimum €65 per square meter and the advertisements about windows of US$30 per square meter are deceitful. They said that without normal rules and quality standards, the thermopan windows market will degenerate and many investments and Moldova’s chance to become an exporter of PVC windows will be missed.