Japan may finance projects in Moldova in 2009

The Government of Japan considers the opportunity to finance many projects from different domains in Moldova during 2009. A statement in this sense was made on Wednesday, March 4, at a meeting in Chisinau by deputy minister of economy and trade Tudor Copaci and the Japanese delegation headed by Nobukatsu Kanehara, the deputy director of the Bureau of European affairs of the Japanese Government, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the press service of the Ministry of Economy and Trade (MET), the projects are about improving water supply systems in the northern regions of the country, repairing roads, improving irrigation systems, raising the productivity of the Moldovan companies, as well as renewing the Eugene Ionesco theater in Chisinau. The Ministry says it is successfully carrying out the project on promoting the small and medium companies (SMC), pursuing to facilitate the procurement of a vast array of producing equipment by SMCs, which is financed by the Government of Japan. The budget of the project is $11.8 million. After capitalizing this grant, 95 Moldovan companies bought technical equipment necessary for the development of rural businesses. The Japanese Government also offered Moldova grants in other sectors, as it is the technical assistance Program, 2KR, for poor farmers valuing $17.02 million, the cultural grant offered to delivering audio-visual and exhibition equipment to local cultural centers, amounting to $516 thousand, etc. The Japanese Government started to assist Moldova in 1994, and $105.6 million is the total volume of assistance up to now.