State aid needs to be transparent, ANPC

The Law on state aid, adopted in second reading, is the first of its kind in Moldova. The state may offer aid to some companies, but only in conditions of transparency. The statement was made by Viorica Carare, head of the National Agency for the Protection of Competition (ANPC), during a round table on the role of competition policy in creating an attractive environment for investments and businesses in Moldova, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Viorica Carare, offering state aid to companies that are loyal to the government leads to unfair competition and may cause the bankruptcy of some companies. “The role of competition authorities is to stimulate the competition environment and to find the obstacles that hamper access to the market and business development, including by informing the companies”, said Viorica Carare. Another topic of discussion was the recent draft Law on competition, which should be voted in Parliament soon. Unlike the 2000 law, the new draft includes details about such notions as cartel agreements, the dominant market position of some companies, unfair competition and others. The debate was organized with the support of the Turkish Embassy in Chisinau and with the participation of representatives of Moldovan companies with Turkish capital. His Excellency Mehmet Selim Kartal, Turkish Ambassador, described the Moldovan economy as a free one. “Nonetheless, a free economy doesn’t mean a lack of rules and standards. It is important for companies with Turkish capital on the Moldovan market to know these rules and respect them. It will be to their advantage and to the benefit of Moldovan economy”, he stated.