● MONDAY, September 22

World Bank will offer US$450 million to Moldova until 2017 

Moldova will receive up to US$450 million in financial assistance from the World Bank until 2017. Healthcare and education will be the key areas that will get financing, Prime Minister Iurie Leanca said after a meeting with the World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Laura Tuck, who is making a visit to Chisinau. Iurie Leanca stated that the World Bank is the oldest partner of Moldova. During 22 years, the Bank has assisted Moldova in fostering economic growth and in creating jobs. A number of economic entities benefitted from financial assistance in this respect.

IMF mission to visit Moldova 

An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Max Alier will visit Chisinau during September 25 – October 7, 2014 to conduct the second Post-Program Monitoring (PPM). PPM is intended for all member countries that have substantial IMF credit outstanding following the expiration of their programs. There are normally two post-program monitoring Board consultations during a twelve-month period.

Modern scanning equipment to be installed at Leuseni-Albita customs post 

The most modern scanning equipment will be set up at the Leuseni-Albita customs post by the end of this year. Customs Service director Tudor Balitski had a meeting with representatives of the Chinese company Nuctech Company Limited and the economic-commercial adviser of the Embassy of China in Moldova, where there was signed the contract for the supply and installation of the stationary scanning equipment at the Leuseni-Albita customs post in the form of non-reimbursable assistance from the Government of the People’s Republic of China. According to a communiqué of the Customs Service, the scanner will help to maximally fluidize the traffic of goods, while the length of scanning a truck will decrease three times and will not exceed 2-3 minutes.

● TUESDAY, September 23

Moldova has 170 cold storage facilities for fruit and vegetables 

There are now 170 cold storage facilities for keeping fruit and vegetables in Moldova. Vasile Sarban, head of the Horticultural Products Service of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, has told that these facilities have a total storage capacity of 146,000 tonnes. Vasile Sarban said that the period during which the fruit and vegetables keep depends on their quality. Apples can keep for more than six months, while plums for three months. A large number of cold storage facilities are concentrated in Costesti village of Ialoveni district. There are 30 refrigerators there with a capacity of 50 to 1,000 tonnes.

FAO supports strengthening of food safety system in Moldova 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, in concert with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, has launched the project “Support to strengthening the food safety system” for 2014-2015. The general objective is to strengthen the food safety system in Moldova and to adjust the national legislation and food manufacturing standards to the European ones. The project was launched by a workshop that will be followed by two-day courses for the specialists involved in the food quality surveillance and monitoring process.

● WEDNESDAY, September 24

Moldova needs well-defined strategies to revitalize economy, opinions

Moldova needs well-defined strategies for revitalizing the economy following the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU. The subject was developed in the program “Fabrika” on Publika TV channel. International law expert Vitalie Gamurari considers that the most difficult thing for Moldova is now to carry out the accord with the EU. “The Government of Moldova managed to sign and ratify the Association Agreement with the EU and should now implement it. It will be hard as the economy wasn’t prepared for this,” he stated.

Grain market is now more functional and transparent

The automated information system Register of Grain Warehouse Certificates will be created in Moldova. The Government is to approve the strategy for implementing this system. The Register of Grain Warehouse Certificates will provide information about the grain warehouses, those who produce and store grains and the issued grain warehouse certificates. As a result, the storage of grains and their derivatives will be ensured according to technological requirements. Conditions will be created for implementing mechanisms for securing grains and for facilitating lending to grain producers. The stored grains will be sold when the price on the market is appropriate. It will be possible to form homogenous grain consignments, while the data on the stored grains will be permanently updated.

DG SANCO mission expected to come to Chisinau

A mission of the Directorate General for Health and Consumers of the European Commission (DG SANCO) will come to Moldova at the end of next month. Moldova is being assessed by DG SANCO following its application for the status of country that can export products of animal origin to the EU. “We hope that in 2015 Moldova will be authorized to export first bird eggs of B category, which are used in the processing industry,” said the director general of the National Food Safety Agency Ion Sula. As to the export of poultry to the EU, Ion Sula said the poultry breeding companies have yet a lot of work to do. A €100 million Polish project is designed to help them. €90 million of this sum is intended for agriculture, including for purchasing equipment for animal breeding farms.

 Committee of Directors of Victoriabank continues to do its duties, communiqué

The Committee of Directors of BC Victoriabank SA informed that in accordance with the Labor Code of Moldova and the decision of the competent bodies, the members of the Committee of Directors, namely Natalia Politov-Cangas, Corneliu Ghimpu, Ludmila Vangheli, and Elena Goncear, will continue to work after September 24 and will hold the posts until the competent bodies choose new members instead of them, in compliance with the bank’s statutes.“Given that the judicial bodies of Moldova earlier suspended the implementation of decisions taken by the Extraordinary General Assembly of Shareholders of BC Victoriabank SA and by the bank’s Administration Board, the members of the executive committee have the right to represent the bank in the relations with third persons, to adopt decisions, to sign contracts and to fulfill their functional obligations until a competent body is constituted, in accordance with the bank’s statutes, to designate the members of the Committee of Directors of BC Victoriabank SA”, reads the communiqué.

● THURSDAY, September 25

World Bank Vice President completes visit Moldova 

World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia Laura Tuck visited Moldova on September 21-24. This was Laura Tuck’s first visit to the country in her current capacity and an opportunity to discuss with different stakeholders a range of issues concerning the World Bank Group’s partnership with the Republic of Moldova. According to a press release of the World Bank Office in Moldova, during her meetings with the President, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet, parliamentary political parties and representatives of the donor community, Laura Tuck discussed Moldova’s current economic and social priorities and the importance of accelerated implementation of reforms. A meeting with private sector leaders addressed the challenges and opportunities facing Moldova’s businesses in light of the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU and the regional context.

Program for farmers IFAD VI launched 

The sixth program of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Moldova, for 2014-2020, was launched today, September 25. The program has a budget of US$26 million. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov said on this occasion that Moldova managed to become the country that implements the IFAD-funded projects the best. Since 2000 until now, the farmers benefitted from loans and grants to the value of over US$60 million. The minister noted that IFAD VI is welcome especially now when the Moldovan farmers consume more investments.

● FRIDAY, September 26

Abattoirs in Moldova will have equipment to burn slaughter waste 

Equipment for burning the slaughter waste started to be set up in the abattoirs of the country. The state authorities pledged to cover half of their price. The announcement was made in a meeting of members of the Association of Meat Exporters with representatives of the National Food Safety Agency (ANSA). The members of the Association said they have to cope with disloyal competition from unauthorized abattoirs. The representatives of ANSA assured they will cooperate with the police so as to stop the unauthorized purchase of animals in large numbers and the population will be informed about the necessity of registering and vaccinating the domestic animals.

Moldovan companies to present production under common country brand name on Wine Day 

This year’s National Wine Day comes with an important novelty: the 45 participating companies will present their products under the common country brand name “Wine of Moldova. Living legend”. Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry Vasile Bumacov expressed his satisfaction with the fact that the winemakers joined their efforts in a move to strengthen the image of the Moldovan wines. “The wines that will be presented on the National Wine Day will be made only from imported sorts of grapes that were homologated in our country and from Moldovan sorts. The wines from the national sorts were highly appreciated on the U.S. market,” he stated.