● TUESDAY, March 28
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Moldova-China organizes mission to Canton Import & Export Fair
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Moldova-China from 1 to 5 May will stage an economic mission to the Canton Import & Export Fair that will take place in Guangzhou, in the People’s Republic of China. This exhibition is considered the largest event of the kind in the world and involves over 25,000 commercial organizations that display their products and services on an area of approximately 1.2 million square meters. Representatives of the Moldovan-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the Moldovan companies’ participation in this event in China is a good occasion for identifying potential business partners, for presenting the own brand and learning about the most recent technological accomplishments of Chinese firms.
Airport returns under state management. Maia Sandu: It is an important result
The Chisinau International Airport was officially transferred back under state management as from March 28. President Maia Sandu said the return of the airport is the result of the fight against corruption and an important result.
● WEDNESDAY, March 29
Producers warned to list vineyards in Vine and Wine Register
Grape producers are obliged to list their vineyards in the Vine and Wine Register. According to the authorities, about 15,000 ha of vineyards haven’t been yet registered. The producers are urged to do it or they will be unable to sell their grapes in autumn.
Price of diesel fuel falls under 21 lei/liter
The price of diesel fuel has decreased to less than 21 lei/liter. The National Agency for Energy Regulation for Thursday announced a 0.11 lei decline in the price of diesel fuel.
State Tax Service has a new director
The Cabinet accepted Petru Rotaru for the post of director of the State Tax Service.
Farmers complain about high input prices
Farmers started spring agricultural works. They are glad there is precipitation and hope that they will not experience drought this year. Even if they have seeds, the agricultural producers complain about the high input prices, the heads of district agricultural divisions told in a discussion with Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea, Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry.
Bank deposit guarantee ceiling to be raised
The bank deposit guarantee ceiling will be 100,000 lei and will rise to 200,000 on January 1, 2025, as it is provided in a bill that was approved by the Parliament’s commission on foreign policy and European integration.
● THURSDAY, March 30
Citizens could exchange money without IDs if sum is lower than 10,000 lei
The citizens will be able to exchange money at currency exchanges without IDs if the sum does not exceed 10,000 lei. This is provided in a bill that was given a final reading by Parliament.
Eco-innovation, sustainable solution for Moldova’s SMEs
The ecologization of the Moldovan economy is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is essential for the economic actors to ecologize their businesses so as to be able to compete on the international market and to also export to the EU. A national workshop entitled ”Promotion of eco-innovation in business models of local SMEs” centered on the possibility of integrating eco-innovation into business models of local SMEs.
Peasant cattle farmers say current prices not covering costs
Since 2012, milk production in Moldova has dropped almost in half, to just over 295,000 tonnes in 2021. About 90% of this amount is produced in peasant households, and the rest by industrial farms. Cattle numbers also decreased. Rural cattle breeders say that they are finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet. Due to the droughts, they do not have enough fodder, and the price of meat and milk does not cover their expenses, so more and more peasants give up raising cattle, Europa Liberă reported.
● FRIDAY, March 31
Deadline for access to farmland beyond Camenca-Tiraspol road is April 1
The farmers will have access to their farmland located beyond the Tiraspol-Camenca road in Dubăsari district until April 1. The Reintegration Policies Bureau has told IPN that Tiraspol was requested through the correspondence channel of the chief negotiators to ensure unlimited access to the farmland situated beyond the Camenca-Tiraspol road, where spring farming works are underway.
Vladimir Bolea: World Bank offers US$25m for restoring irrigation systems
The Republic of Moldova borrows US$25 million for rehabilitating the national irrigation systems. The lending agreement will be signed by the World Bank and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry on May 10. Minister Vladimir Bolea said the authorities are obliged to invest in irrigation systems as the drought became a normal phenomenon in Moldova.
Energocom purchases first amount of gas from Romanian Commodities Exchange
For the first time, SA “Energocom” bought 24 MWh of natural gas for the next day, by 1 MWh an hour, from the Romanian Commodities Exchange. The price per MWh was 240 Romanian lei, which is equal to €48.82.
People’s incomes in 2022 grew nominally by 21%, but decreased by almost 6% in real terms
The monthly disposable incomes of the population in 2022 were 4,252.7 lei on average per person, an increase of 21.2% compared with 2021. In real terms (adjusted to the consumer price index), the population’s incomes decreased by 5.9%. In towns, the incomes were 1,800 lei on average per person, 1.5 times higher than the incomes of the rural population.
Wine exports in 2022 hit record low for last ten years
The amounts of Moldovan wine exported in 2022 were the smallest the last ten years. As it was expected, amidst the current regional crisis, Moldova’s wine exports to Belarus and Russia decreased the most on 2021, by 55% and 44% respectively. Besides, the winemakers are affected by climate change as the spring and autumn frosts occur in different periods now and precipitation is insufficient. The data were presented in a national conference in which the National Office of Vine and Wine, together with the authorities, producers, and development partners, summed up the results of the wine year 2022.
Energocom signs a half-year contract with MGRES
Energocom has signed a contract valid for half a year with MGRES (Kuchurgan power plant) of the Transnistrian region for the supply of electrical energy at the price of US$66 per MWh, by US$7 less than the price for the last four months.
Dumitru Budianschi named NCFM chief
Ex-minister of finance Dumitru Budianschi will serve as chairman of the Administration Board of the National Commission for Financial Markets (NCFM). Such a decision was taken by Parliament on Friday.
Moldova went through biggest energy shock the past two years
Over the past two years, the Republic of Moldova experienced the biggest energy shock. For example, the current heating season, the Moldovans consumed two times less gas than last year. The state in the period spent about US$500 million on the importation of gas at a price that was higher than the Europeans average and this was due to the dependence non one gas supply source and on the signing of contracts in a non-transparent way, said expert in economic policies of the Institute for Development and Social Initiatives “Viitorul” Veaceslav Ioniță.
Access to farm plots east of Tiraspol-Camenca road extended
Access to farm plots in Dubăsari district located along the Tiraspol-Camenca road has been extended until July 1, 2023, announced the Bureau of Reintegration Policies.
● SATURDAY, April 01
Veronica Sirețeanu: We anticipate economic growth of 2%
The state budget law will be amended earlier than June so as to reallocate the saved funds to investments, said Minister of Finance Veronica Sirețeanu. In a crisis year, to ensure economic growth, the state must intervene and make investments in infrastructure so that the jobs could be kept and the adjacent industries could develop.
Moldova’s gross external debt in 2022 up 8% on 2021
The gross external debt of the Republic of Moldova in 2022 was by 8% higher than in 2021. According to the preliminary data of the National Bank of Moldova, on December 31 this was US$ 9.457,80 billion.
NAER will consider adjusting electricity charges
The National Agency for Energy Regulation (NAER) is taking into account the possibility of adjusting the electricity charges for end-users. It will pronounce after it studies the new contract signed with the Kuchurgan power plant (MGRES).
