4 tobacco processing factories will be privatized with general conditions and not by individual projects

3 tobacco processing factories from Floresti, Falesti and Orhei, as well as the “Nordtutun” Factory from Cupcini will be removed from the list of enterprises from the tobacco and wines industry, foreseen by the legislation for privatization on grounds of individual projects. The economic and financial situation of these enterprises ahs been qualified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Alimentary Industry (MAIA) as hard, because in the last 3-4 years they were inactive because they lost their share of the market. Considering this, potential investors did not demonstrate interest towards them on individual privatization projects while keeping their activity profile. According to the ministry of Agriculture and Alimentary Industry, Anatolie Spivacenco, the approval by the Parliament of the legislation modifications for the exposal of these enterprises to privatization on general terms will avoid the further increase of debts and will allow to use their potential in other goals. The MAIA initiative was recently approved by the Cabinet Council. There are 7 tobacco processing plants together with “Tutun CTC” JSC in the tobacco industry, the privatization of which is regulated by the law from October 19 2000 regarding privatization of enterprises from the tobacco and wine industries. The tobacco production capacity of active tobacco factories is 81 thousand tons per year, and another 12 thousand tons are produced in the private sector. According to the tobacco industry development program for 2003–2010 a maximum volume of maximum 40 thousand tons is planned.