More than 100 companies in Moldova were penalised last week for illegally increasing the price of bread and for diminishing its weight. The sum of imposed fines amounts to MDL 75 thousand. Also, production worth MDL 18 thousand and 8.1 thousand kg of wheat flour totalling MDL 50 thousand was confiscated. According to the Press Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Department for Investigation of Frauds has checked 255 economic entities. As a result, the department found 106 cases of illegal increase in price of bread and 16 cases when the weight of bread was diminished. In the northern part of the country, in the districts of Rascani, Drochia, Briceni, Donduseni and Soroca the inspectors found that the price of bread was illegally increased by about 20-30%. Production without necessary documents was confiscated from the entrepreneurs located in Nisporeni, Hancesti, Causeni, Cimislia, Telenesti, Cahul and Leova. Also there were found several cases in these districts when the weight of the sold bread was reduced by 30-110 grams against the standard parameters. The Press Service of the Ministry of Interiors announces that the price of baked products in the aforementioned settlements has significantly decreased after the inspections. The limit of the extra price of bread is 10%. President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin promised at the end of July that the bread will not increase in price even if the total harvest of the first group crops is twofold lower than last year. Several days later, the bakers in the north of the country announced that the baked products will be by 20% dearer.