Specialists in the field express skepticism about a possible significant fall in the prices of new apartments, Info-Prim Neo reports. There are no preconditions for the new apartments to get much cheaper, the financial director of the construction company Glorinal Marian Supostat said at a meeting of the Economic Press Club. “It is true that most of the constructors worked at a profit during the last few years. But during this period, they purchased and imported new technology and building materials, opened private cement factories. The profits have been practically reinvested. That’s why, the prices of new apartments will not be decreased much,” Marian Supostat said. Nicolae Rusu, the head of the Sales Department of the Chisinau Mortgage Agency (AMIC), said that the apartments sold now had been built during the last 2-3 years. “Meanwhile, the prices of plots for construction have increased, while the prices of construction materials used several years ago were much higher than at present. The Government canceled the exemption from paying the 20% VAT for the constructors erecting residential buildings,” Nicolae Rusu said. “Therefore, to significantly reduce the prices of new apartments would mean to decrease the number of workplaces and salaries in the construction sector and not only,” he added. Alexandru Pripa, of the consultancy company BIS-Capital, said that it is not possible to reduce now the apartment prices as the construction materials used were purchased at a price that was 2-3 times higher. “In some countries like Romania the prices fell because they made considerable progress in implementing structural reforms in the economy. Significant efforts have been made during over 10 years. There appeared many companies whose production can compete with the Western one, while the negative balance of trade became positive. The structural reforms in Moldova are only at an incipient stage,” Alexandru Pripa said. Andrei Panici, executive manager of Nordik Estates Company, considers that the reforms must be initiated inside construction companies. According to him, the management of companies must be improved. The sales and client policy should be modified. “Surely, there is a shortage of money for lending or this money is expensive, but there are also other problems. We did well during several years as the sales were fueled by remittances. Now we have to fight for every client apart, consider the clients partners and treat them adequately,” Andrei Panici said. Veaceslav Ionita, expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiative (IDIS) “Viitorul”, said that the fact that the sales stopped does not necessarily mean that the housing sector is experiencing a crisis. “Simply, the housing sector entered a new stage. Earlier, the sales of apartments were based on remittances, but now they should be based on credits. There should be yet worked out adequate lending mechanisms and identified lending sources for a long term. The Government should also intervene. IDIS “Viitorul” is ready to formulate a final document with constructors’ and investors’ proposals that could be submitted to the new executive in May,” Ionita said.