● MONDAY, June 05
Moldovagaz requests NAER to reduce gas charges for end users
SA Moldovagaz announced that it requested the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) to reduce the average natural gas charge for end users at regulated prices for 2023.
According to the presented calculations, the average natural gas charge should be decreased to 16,492 lei per 1,000 cubic meters of gas or by 36.8% from the current charge.
NAER to examine request to review gas charges Wednesday
The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) on Wednesday will examine the request of SA Moldovagaz to review the gas charges for end users.
“Given the current circumstances and the existing objective factors, the NAER will examine the supplier’s request as a matter of urgency. The Agency’s specialists will analyze the invoked arguments and will take a decision in an extraordinary public meeting scheduled for June 7, 2023,” said the NAER.
Reform of entrepreneur’s patent is a reform for sake of reform, statement
Persons who work based on the entrepreneur’s patent said they are dissatisfied with the reform announced by Minister of Economic Development Dumitru Alaiba through which work based on entrepreneur’s patent from July 1 will be replaced with a simplified tax regime – independent activity. “Take your hands off the patient and don’t do reforms for the sake of reforms,” Olga Chapki, patent holder.
Only differentiated taxation can be an alternative to entrepreneur’s patent, opinion
The differentiated taxation is the only alternative to entrepreneur’s patent as the markets and the volume of merchandise are different and not everyone is in similar positions, Eleonora Țurcanu-Herghelegiu, the member of a group of patent holders, stated in a news conference hosted by IPN. The traders are against the switchover from patent to individual activity with a cash register.
Dumitru Alaiba: Traders will be obliged to have cash registers and this is decided
Traders will be obliged to have cash registers and this decision is final. Any commercial activity should be accompanied by cash registers and everyone should pay the correct part of taxes, said Minister of Economy Dumitru Alaiba, referring to the dissatisfaction expressed by patent holders with the switchover to independent activity as from July 1.
According to the minister, less than a month has left until the individual entrepreneurial activity will start to be used. This is a much more transparent and civilized form of trading. “As some of the patent holders still have questions, I asked the chief of the Tax Service to order that all the district heads of the Tax Service should go to markets and explain to the people all the details of the transition,” noted Dumitru Alaiba.
Government to borrow $55 million for agricultural development
The government will borrow $55 million from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development to invest in the development of agriculture, under a loan agreement signed by Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea and Inguna Dobraja, World Bank country manager for Moldova. The resources will be directed to increase farmers’ incomes, create new jobs and implement smart agricultural practices.
● TUESDAY, June 06
Igor Grigoriev: Cooperation, not protest is needed in agriculture
The Republic of Moldova today does not need protests in the agricultural sector. It needs cooperation and dialogue platforms, said the former chairman of “Agrocereale” Association Igor Grigoriev after representatives of the Association “Force of Farmers” announced a nonstop protest as form June 7. According to Igor Grigoriev, Moldova should not subscribe to the ban on the import of Ukrainian grains as such a decision would make Kyiv impose sanctions against Moldovan products.
Expert-Grup’s recommendations for 2024 fiscal policy
The income tax rates on investment activities, including on revenues obtained from securities issued in cities or other territorial-administrative units, should be unified. Fiscal equity should be instituted when setting the road tax and mechanisms for facilitating pay raises and legalization of work should be created by introducing a temporary instrument for refunding the fiscal costs associated with pay raises incurred by employers. Such recommendations were formulated by the Independent Think Tank Expert-Grup over the bill to amend normative documents concerning the fiscal and customs policy, which was proposed for public consultations.
● WEDNESDAY, June 07
Renato Usatyi: I will stage Great National Assembly 2, but will not associate myself with criminals and fugitives
The resignation of the administration of the National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER), the purchase of amounts of gas at the market price and the reduction in gas charges for household users are among the demands addressed by the leader of Our Party Renato Usatyi to the government. If these demands are not satisfied, the politician will call on the people to take to the streets. He said that all the healthy parties that are not managed by criminals or fugitives will be welcomed at the antigovernment protests he plans to stage.
Rodica Iordanov: Investments are needed in waste management, not in enormous landfills
Representatives of the Government and of the Chisinau City Hall have differing opinions about the management of waste in the capital city. Minister of Environment Rodica Iordanov said the Chisinau City Hall wants to invest more money in the Țânțăreni landfill, but the central administration would like to set up waste management platforms where waste will be sorted and recycled. According to the official, Moldova should renounce the practice of setting up landfills that occupy tens of hectares and should opt for modern waste management centers with odor control systems.
Division about social insurance contributions added to CNAS website
The National House of Social Insurance (CNAS) has launched a division entitled “For payers of state social insurance contributions” in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section. This provides responses to a series of questions put by business entities and, in general, by payers of state social insurance contributions.
June 30 is deadline for paying property tax
The Tax Collection Division warns that the property tax can be paid by June 30, 2023. It already sent property tax notices to the citizens through postal services, IPN reports, with reference to the Chisinau City Hall.
The holders of digital and/or mobile signatures can access the State Tax Service’s portal and choose the View Tax option based on the realty file and can generate by themselves a property tax notice, see the sum of the tax and print the notice on paper.
Gas charges decreased
Household users will pay less for gas. The National Agency for Energy Regulation on Wednesday approved a gas charge of 16,730 lei per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, plus VAT of 8% for household users. The new charges take effect when they are published in the Official Gazette.
Under the Agency’s decision, the charge at points of exit from natural gas transportation networks will be 13,514 lei per 1,000 cubic meters, at points of exit from high-pressure gas transmission networks – 13,666 lei, from medium-pressure networks – 14,381 lei, while from low-pressure networks – 16,730 lei per 1,000 cubic meters.
Program to support entrepreneurs “373” approved
The Cabinet approved the program to support the entrepreneurs “373”. This is a financing instrument through which the state will subsidize the interest rates on loans for the investment needs of enterprises.
Deputy Prime Minister Dumitru Alaiba, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization, said that “373” is the telephone prefix of the country and each digit represents a parameter of the program. “3” is the 3% interest rate on loans in foreign currencies, euros or dollars. “7” is the 7% interest rate on loans in lei, while the other digit “3” is the longest grace period for loans repayable in up to seven years.
Moldova to receive €40m from European Commission
The Republic of Moldova will benefit from €40 million in grant funding. The money is provided under a financing agreement with the European Commission, which was signed on May 11 and was ratified by the Cabinet today.
Minister of Finance Veronica Sirețeanu said that it goes to the EU4Resilience and Governance program. The goal of the program is to strengthen the resilience of the state and society and to ensure socioeconomic recovery with emphasis on good governance, stability and peace.
Air Moldova temporarily closes main retail office
Air Moldova announced it was temporarily closing its main ticket office at 10 Negruzzi St. in Chisinau amid financial woes, with staff to concentrate on assisting clients online.
Air Moldova said in a press release the measure is in line with its restructuring plan.
● THURSDAY, June 08
Illegalities in gas procurement? Maia Sandu: These accusations are false
The Republic of Moldova does not have own natural gas and the gas charge depends on the purchase price existing on the international market. Furthermore, during the cold period of the year, when the prices were high, volumes of gas were bought and these haven’t been used. Now this gas needs to be consumed, President Maia Sandu said when asked why the gas charges do not decrease more when the purchase prices on the international market are low. The officials expressed her confidence that all the natural gas purchases were made in accordance with the law despite the speculations about eventual fraud.
NBM launches financial education podcast
The National Bank of Moldova (NBM) on Thursday launched a financial education podcast entitled “Give sense to money”. NBM governor Octavian Armașu is the invitee of the first edition. He will respond primarily to questions posted by media outlets in a cumulative interview on the occasion of the professional baking workers’ day.
NBM governor: Next challenge is no longer inflation, but overcoming of recession
The governor of the National Bank of Moldova Octavian Armașu said that inflation in the Republic of Moldova had a higher amplitude and the inflation process started earlier, but could be tempered faster. As regards the economic cycle, Moldova is yet in recession. That’s why the next challenge is no longer inflation, but the overcoming of recession.
Recession is main cause of appreciation of leu, NBM governor
Since the start of the year, the Moldovan leu has strengthened against the U.S. dollar by 7% and against the euro by 5%. The exporters and the people who live on remittances have been affected by the leu’s appreciation the most. According to the governor of the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) Octavian Armașu, the recession is the cause of this appreciation.
Lower gas rates take effect today
The reduced natural gas charges come into force today, June 8. The National Agency for Energy Regulation’s relevant decision was published in the Official Gazette. Household users will pay a charge of 16,730 lei per 1,000 cubic meters of gas, plus VAT of 8%.
Owners of foreign-plated vehicles could clear them with 70% reduction
The owners of motor vehicles with foreign registration numbers will be able to clear these with a 70% reduction. It goes to cars older than seven on the day the import duties are paid, which travel in Moldova, but are registered in another state or on the left side of the Nistru. The MPs gave a final reading to a bill to amend a number of relevant legal acts.
Farmers’ VAT refund scheme to be extended
The number of farmers eligible for VAT refund will increase under a draft amendment approved by Parliament in the first reading.
According to the bill’s sponsors, a group of PAS lawmakers, the number of beneficiaries will increase after replacing the year 2021 with 2022 in terms of the amount of value added tax accumulated in the account that can be used by agricultural producers to pay contributions to the national public budget.
● FRIDAY, June 09
Dumitru Alaiba: Bureaucracy costs us a lot
Bureaucracy, the underground economy and the absence of labor force are the main three factors that hamper the economic development of Moldova, said Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba. According to him, among the main directions of his team’s actions are the reduction of bureaucracy and digitization of processes for the purpose of rooting out corruption from the economy. The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the absence of labor force is a problem that can be solved by the legal employment of foreign citizens.
Adrian Lupușor: Issuance of Eurobonds accelerates investments in infrastructure
The Republic of Moldova must identify new financing opportunities, while the issuance of Eurobonds will ensure long-term investments in the country’s infrastructure, said the executive director of the Independent Think Tank “Expert-Grup” Adrian Lupușor. The economist explained that the issuance of Eurobonds will contribute to the country’s economic growth and to the enhancement of citizens’ welfare.
Energocom chose two companies from which it will buy gas this summer
The gas distributor SA Energocom finished one of the first tender contests this year for the purchase of natural gas for this summer. Two companies were selected. One of these is from Greece, while the other one cannot be yet revealed, Energocom director Victor Bânzari told a news conference.
Transfers from Russia for business purposes decreased significantly, not yet those from individuals
Together with the start of the war in Ukraine and together with the imposition of sanctions against the Russian Federation, the commercial relations decreased significantly. Respectively, the transfers for business purposes also decreased. But the transfers made by private individuals from Russia to Moldova have grown, said the governor of the National Bank of Moldova Octavian Armașu, who noted that it is hard for him to pronounce exactly on the nature of this phenomenon.
Moldova pays lowest minimum salary in economy in Europe, expert
Even if the minimum official salary in Moldova has grown significantly since 2018, in the first quarter of this year Moldova paid the lowest minimum salary in the economy in Europe. This was €205, up from €132 in 2018. For comparison, the minimum salary in Bulgaria was €399, in Romania – €606, in Germany - €1,987, said economic expert of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” Veaceslav Ioniță.
Deadline for paying cleanup tax in Chisinau municipality is July 31
The inhabitants of the municipality of Chisinau must pay the cleanup tax of 10 lei a month for each person registered at the declared domicile by July 31.
The calculation was done by the Local Taxes Collection Division in accordance with the information provided by the Public Services Agency from the State Population Register, according to the situation on December 31, 2022.
● SATURDAY, June 10
Compensations for patent-holding vendors
The government will grant up to 10,000 lei in compensation for vendors migrating from patent-based retailing, which will no longer be an option from July 1.
Under the patent-based regime, small vendors engaging in retail at stalls, counters, kiosks and such paid a small annual sum for tax, but from July 1 they will have to choose a different tax regime, as the patents are scrapped.
