Moldova and Azerbaijan to create joint enterprises
Moldova and Azerbaijan willl create joint companies for processing agri-alimentary products, especially for processing meat, milk and grapes. This decision has been approved on February 23, within the frameworks of the Moldova-Azerbaijan Business Forum, held in Baku, within the official 2-day visit of Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev to this country.
Azeri businessmen showed themselves interested in the offer of purchasing Moldovan wines and in potential investments in our country’s oil industry.
Vasile Tarlev mentioned that, within the forum, Moldova makes its best in order that foreign investors feel as comfortable on the Moldovan market as in their own country. There are some impediments in the tax policy of the republic, but they will be eliminated, the PM stated.
According to him, in 2006, Moldova became member of CEFTA-2 and benefits from a preferential asymmetric trade regime with nine countries, and circa 2000 names of Moldovan goods have access to the European Union market without customs taxes. At the same time, Tarlev mentioned that in order to strengthen Moldovan – Azeri relations it is particularly important to open the Azeri trade house in Chisinau and the Moldovan one in Baku, to launch air and road connection between the two capitals, as well as to create optimal conditions for cooperation between the businessmen from the two countries.
Heydar Babaev, Azeri Minister of Economic Development welcomed the economic cooperation intention and mentioned that there are many mutual advantages in this regard. Babaev said that in 2006 Azerbaijan was the world leader in GDP growth, marking a 35% increase. Also, 25,000 new work places have been created in the republic and the business climate has been improved.
Within the forum, representatives of economic missions decided to organise Azerbaijan’s Days in Chisinau, in October and Moldova’s Days in Baku in 2008.
In 2006, the foreign trade between Moldova and Azerbaijan stood at USD 6.6 mln, including export – USD 4.8 mln or by 1.3 times larger than in 2005.