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Activity of Public Institutions

Parliament
Government
Presidency

Gagauzia: The Region of Development by Galina Selari

Activity of Public Institutions

Parliament

1.1. Rules. Immunities

The Parliament has approved Carmelia Albu as member of the electronic media watchdog CCA for a 4-year term. Albu was proposed by the council of unions of radio and television employees.

Examining a proposal by the Superior Council of Magistracy, the Parliament has appointed three judges of the Supreme Court of Justice: Valeriu Arhip; Valentina Clevadi and Valeriu Doaga. Communist lawmakers did not vote for appointment of Gheorghe Ulianovschi, though the legal commission for rules and immunities has approved this candidacy and did not find any breaches related to the promotion procedure.

The Parliament took notice of the resignation of Communist Deputy Sergiu Stati. The 69^th candidate from the list of the Communist Party of Moldova will receive the vacant mandate.

1.2. Legislative acts

• Law approving Title IX of the Tax Code and law on enforcement. It regulates the traffic taxes, calculation and administration of these taxes, quotas for envisaged subjects applied starting January 1, 2007.
• Law on status of penal investigation officer. It regulates the status of penal investigators of the Interior Ministry, CCCEC and Customs Service who conduct penal investigations.
• Law on completion of the Code of Motor Transport. The Government is empowered to approve the methodology of calculation of tariffs for passenger and luggage carriage by motor transport. Lawmakers noted that these amendments "legalise" previous decisions of the executive adopted by exceeding constitutional and legal competences.
• Law on ratification of the European Convention on the Transfer of Proceedings in Criminal Matters. The May 15, 1972 convention is ratified with a series of reservations regarding refusal to investigate religious crimes or offences that must be sanctioned by an administrative authority.
• Law on completion of legislative accts (anti-corruption survey). Under adopted amendments, draft legislative and normative laws will be surveyed against corruptibility in order to verify if they correspond to national and international anti-corruption standards and to prevent new regulations that favour or may favour corruption.
• Draft law on insurance. The document voted in the second reading stipulates the rise of minimum social capital of insurance companies and the obligation that these companies turn into joint stock societies. According to the legislative programme for 2005-2009 (Parliament Decision # 300-XVI from 24.11.05), the new law on insurance should be adopted by the end of 2005, in order to ensure the execution of the E.U.-Moldova Action Plan (paragraph 2.4.2 (32) from EUMAP).
• Draft law on processing of personal data. It seeks some regulations needed to guarantee respect and protection of rights of individuals to private life in connection with processing of personal data. According to the legislative programme, the law will be passed in the final reading by the end of 2006.

1.3. Parliamentary control. Statements

Questions and interpellations

Replying to a request by lawmakers, Minister of Transportation and Road Management Miron Gagauz said that Moldova will not redirect passenger trains through Transnistria because security of travellers will not be ensured.

Replying an interpellation by Democratic Deputy Vladimir Filat, the Ministry of Economy and Commerce said that Moldovan Government has started negotiations on Moldova's debt for natural gas ceded by Gazprom to a Russian enterprise. Concrete information on results of negotiations was not presented. As of September 1, 2006, debts of Moldova Gaz accounted for 1,382,000,000 dollars, of them 1.85 billion dollars in debts of the Transnistrian region.

Gheorghe Susarenco has asked the Prosecutor's Office to verify information regarding disappearance of topographic map of territorial delimitations in the Moldovan-Ukrainian border area^[1] from the state archives of Moldova in 1998. According to another interpellation, Susarenco has asked Moldovan Government to explain the participation of executive members in a November 7 meeting organised by Communist Party of Moldova (PCRM) and if the participation of ministers who are not PCRM members is a violation of Article 5 (2) of Constitution, which says that "no ideology can be instituted as an official ideology of the state."

Citing a media report^[2], AMN Deputy Anatol Onceanu has asked the Centre for the Struggle Against Economic Crimes and Corruption (CCCEC) to verify if actions by local authorities in the district of Orhei seeking sponsoring of propagandistic actions by governance are not a hidden extortion and if the demand for cash is not corruption.

Democratic Deputy Valentina Buliga has asked the Government to report on granting of indemnities to young teachers, noting that there are cases of groundless refusal through wrong interpretation of law.

Veaceslav Untila, deputy chairman of the Our Moldova Alliance (AMN) faction, has asked the domestic security service SIS and the SIS-controlled special communication centre to report on checking of messages from emails, legal base and grounds of eventual controls.

Statements

Parliamentarian Anatol Taranu has sought the dismissal of Corneliu Mihalache from the post of member of the electronic media watchdog CCA because he has published a political article in Puls in his quality of chief editor and this is a violation of the oath of CCA members. A communist deputy replied that Mihalache has tendered his resignation from the newspaper of communist youth on the day when he was appointed a CCA member. Employees of the newspaper assured that the signing of an article by Mihalache was a technical mistake.

Deputy Vlad Cubreacov has read a statement on stance of the Christian Democratic faction toward an initiative by communist lawmakers seeking the stop of live broadcasting of the Parliament's plenary sittings. The Christian Democratic People's Party (PPCD) regrets the resumption of talks on this old and closed topic, recalling that this decision was one of the ten conditions of the PPCD for election of Moldovan president, a condition of the parliamentary political consensus. Giving up the live broadcasting would be a step backward, a negative signal for society and European partners of Moldova, while arguments taken to support this idea are not based on fair criteria. According to the PPCD: - the problem of broadcasting must be resolved by rightly administrating the allocated budgetary funds; - the problem of too long interventions of lawmakers must find a solution in the law on modification of the Parliament's Regulation, while the promotion of populist initiatives of some lawmakers must be dammed by modifying the Constitution and awarding the right to legislative initiative to parliamentary factions only, not to separated groups of lawmakers. The PPCD appeals to the Moldovan president, who leads the PCRM, to keep the live broadcasting of plenary sittings of the Parliament in order to maintain political stability and continue the consistent implementation of democratic reforms.

Social Liberal deputies have asked the Moldovan president to explain in the Parliament the eventual pretensions of Chisinau against neighbouring states. Social Liberal Deputy Igor Clipii said that the relations of Moldova with all states in the region are unsatisfactory, including because actions and statements of President Vladimir Voronin. Elsewhere, Clipii sought the release of a report by UNDP/Moldova experts, which inserts findings and recommendations on efficient activity of the Parliament and its working groups. The speaker assured that this report will be made public when it is finalised.

PPCD Deputy Ion Varta has demanded the Parliament to revise members of a commission created by the Moldovan Academy of Sciences at the initiative of the chief of state to survey the integrated history textbooks from pre-university education system. Varta said that the commission was created on alarming principles and authors of the criticised textbooks are also members, this being an inadmissible action. The decision on inclusion of some persons who are not experts of history in this commission is also contested after a series of inaccuracies have been discovered in integrated history textbooks for schools.

Government

2.1. Rules. Reshuffles

The Government has appointed Ion Stavila as deputy minister of reintegration, Victor Cuhal as deputy director of the Standardisation and Metrology Service and Vadim Smintina as deputy director of the Sports Agency.

Deputy Premier Valerian Cristea was appointed Moldovan ambassador to the Czech Republic.

2.2. Decisions

Decision on measures of implementation of objectives on creation of 300,000 new jobs and rise of medium monthly salary on economy up to the equivalent of 300 dollars. The decision establishes annual tasks of ministries and other central administrative authorities for creation of new jobs in subordinated branches and recommends the regional administration authorities (of the Autonomous Territorial Unit Gagauzia), district councils and the Chisinau and Balti City Halls to work out and implement actions plans on creation of the indicated jobs.

Decision approving the framework regulation on organisation and functioning of centres of assistance and protection of victims of trafficking in human beings. Centres may be created at community level and they will protect and temporarily host victims of trafficking in persons, helping them join their families and community later.

Decision on adjustment of Moldovan legislation to community legislation. The governmental decision obliges the Justice Ministry to propose the creation of a centre for the adjustment of Moldovan legislation to the European Union's legislation. The new structure will have to work out a plan on gradual adjustment of national legislation to the community legislation. The Government has also approved a regulation on mechanism of adjustment of Moldovan legislation to community laws, which explains modalities of surveying and editing draft acts by respecting the terminology of European legislation.

Decision approving the action plan on facilitation of visa regime with the E.U. The plan establishes actions that will be undertaken in 2007-2008 to start negotiations on readmission and repatriation, consolidation of border and migration management.

Decision on analysis of findings of controls held by the Chamber of Auditors on management of public financial resources in the 2005 budgetary exercise. The Government indicates a better financial management and a series of essential drawbacks in management of public patrimony and finances. It establishes a series of measures to improve the situation: warning heads of central authorities; enhancing responsibility of budget executors; consolidating strategic planning capacities; optimising tax management; assessing and recording public patrimony; optimising the control on legality of actions, etc.

The Government has approved a draft law on regional development and a draft law on modification of the law on tobacco and tobacco products (stricter conditions for sale of products near pre-university institutions).

2.3. Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Gradual modernisation of roads

A working sitting chaired by prime minister has focussed on modernisation of roads in Moldova, which will be a priority task of the Government in 2007. Some important sources in the field will be allocated from foreign donors and state budget. Priority will be granted to building works at the Chisinau-Leuseni road, reconstruction of the Chisinau-Comrat snd Orhei-Rezina routes, with an action plan on modernisation of motorways in Moldova being worked in parallel. Vasile Tarlev has told the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to work out an action plan on gradual modernisation of roads coordinated with leadership of all districts and to open contests by end of 2006 to select entrepreneurs.

Construction of strategic gas pipe

The prime minister has convoked a sitting on construction of the main gas pipe Tocuz-Cainari-Mereni, which will be built about 16.5 kilometres at the first stage and assembling of a gas distribution station by the end of 2006. Vasile Tarlev revealed the importance of the project that ensures the energy security of Moldova.

Combating illicit passenger transportation

Decision-making officials in the field of transportation, licensing and interior affairs have reported on execution of the programme combating the illicit passenger carriage at a sitting convoked by Premier Vasile Tarlev. Although the situation has improved (this fact is confirmed by higher incomes, fewer administrative contraventions and traffic accidents with grave consequences), there are big reserves in the process of combat of this phenomenon. The programme combating the illicit passenger carriage was approved through the Governmental Decision # 1054 from 05.08.2002 and contains a series of actions that should be taken in 2002, with a further permanent monitoring.

Strategy on employment policies

The Ministry of Economy and Commerce has tabled a draft national strategy on employment policies for 2007-2020. The document aims to be a basis for elaboration and implementation of annual action plans on employment, branch and territorial employment programmes for various categories of population. The implementation of this strategy must contribute to elimination of the deficit of jobs, growth of employment rate in economy, better motivation of employers to increase the number of jobs and to raise salaries.

Opening of university and lyceum of Academy of Sciences

The Government has approved a draft law on opening of the University of the Moldovan Academy of Sciences, which will annually admit about 1,000 students selected at a contest. At the same time, the executive has decided to create the Lyceum of the Moldovan Academy of Sciences (ASM), an ASM-controlled institution of exact and humanist sciences for talented children from Moldova. The new institution will be located in the building of a former research institute of ASM, which will include classrooms, libraries, sport and festivity halls, a canteen and hostel after reconstruction. The high school will admit about 200 students, by 15 persons in every class.

Establishing price of education

The cabinet of ministers has approved the nomenclature of works and services executed and granted for pay by educational institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Youth (in vocational schools, colleges and institutions of higher learning).

Export interdictions introduced and annulled

By sending a letter to the Customs Service and wineries, director-general of the Agro-Industrial Agency MoldovaVin has restricted the exports in bulk of wines made from 2006 crop. He invoked the need of improving the image of Moldovan wines on world market, reducing possibilities of counterfeiting wines. Representatives of companies and experts in the field have criticised this decision and described it as inopportune and abusive.

The MoldovaVin administration has withdrawn the interdictions a week later, saying that they could gravely affect vine growing and winemaking companies.

3. Presidency

3.1. Decrees

Moldovan president has signed decrees awarding medals to state dignitaries:

• The chairwoman of the Supreme Court of Justice, Valeria Sterbet, was awarded the Order of the Republic;
• Anatolie Izbinda, deputy director-general of the Agency for Constructions and Territorial Development, was awarded the Labour Glory Order for contribution to projecting and execution of architectural works and reconstruction of the complex of springs in the village of Trifesti, the district of Rezina.

The chief of state has revoked Valerian Cristea from the post of deputy prime minister, while Minister of Local Public Administration Vitalie Vrabie was appointed deputy premier in charge with coordinating relations between central and local public administrations, resolution of problems linked to social-economic development of territories.

3.2. Sittings. Decisions. Statements

Development of capital

President Vladimir Voronin has chaired a sitting on social-economic development of the Chisinau municipality in 2007, with the participation of Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, ministers and leadership of the Chisinau City Hall. According to the chief of state, the social-economic condition of the city has improved in 2006 and some measures have been taken to improve the living standards of Chisinau residents. The further development of the municipality must refer to complete gasification, elaboration of a project on reconstruction of the household water station, continuation of works for arrangement and lighting of streets, capital renovation of social institutions. The chief of state has called for an accelerated elaboration of projects on rearrangement of the Valea Morilor Park and reconstruction of the Summer Theatre in that area. Speaking about urban transportation, Vladimir Voronin called for more trolleys.

Functioning of pharmacies

The chief of state has told a sitting on functioning of pharmaceutical system in Moldova that the Drug Agency has demonstrated its utility and it held some efficient activities: the condition of the drug producer Farmaco has improved; many finances have been saved due to the implementation of a new public procurement system for medications; the volume of production sold by domestic enterprises has grown; the acquisition process is more transparent now. Speaking about tasks, the president highlighted the need of resolving the problem of pharmacies from hospitals; improving the mechanism of formation of prices of pharmaceutical products; establishing a permanent control on drug prescription procedure. The Drug Agency is due to intensify its activity in order to optimise the process of regulation and control of pharmaceutical system in Moldova, with the state authorities monitoring its activity in continuation.

Resolving problems of water basins

The president has convoked a sitting on management and exploitation of water basins. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry (MAFI), 3,915 water objectives are identified and registered with territorial cadastral bodies at present and they are used to breed fish, irrigate agricultural fields, technical needs and entertainment. The existing problems in the field are linked to imperfect legislative base, violation of the law on renting in agriculture by local public authorities and chaotic renting or use of ponds, dispersed and uncoordinated activity of state bodies, other institutions in the field of fish breeding or exploitation of ponds. MAFI has plans to implement a complex legislative and organisational action plan, including to draft a law on waters (instead of the Code of Waters) and of a draft governmental decision on some measures for improvement of activity of fish breeding sector and regulation of the mode of use of ponds, founding a state enterprise to produce water biological resources and coordinate the fish breeding sector of Moldova. The chief of state backed the idea to elaborate a single methodology of calculation of the rent tax and a new model of rent contract, need of strict respect for ecological parameters during exploitation of lakes, ensuring possibility of use of water from ponds for irrigation and free access of citizens to water objectives for entertainment goals.

Concerns with situation in viticulture and winemaking sector

President Vladimir Voronin has emphasised at a sitting on winemaking and wine exports that present difficulties faced by Moldovan viticulture and winemaking sector must not affect ongoing processes of restoration and development of this industry. The needed priority actions include intensification of activity to maintain the existing pace of planting vines, need of a strict respect for norms of the Law on Vine and Wine concerning making of wines with origin names, farmers' wine and secondary wine products. In the context of exportation of Moldovan wines, the chief of state indicated the importance of an essential reduction of the share of wines exported in bulk, growth of brand cognacs. The Agro-Industrial Agency MoldovaVin and bodies of local public administration were empowered to sustain economic agents to plant at least 7,000 hectares of vine in 2007. The need of modifying the legislation on licensing of spirits exports was also indicated.

Sitting of the Supreme Security Council

A sitting of the Supreme Security Council has focussed on illicit trafficking in drugs. The chief of state said after hearing a report that bodies of central public administration and local authorities in charge with prevention and combat of trafficking in drugs do not work enough. Vladimir Voronin instructed responsible persons to fortify the prevention of drug addiction, recommending them to hold media campaigns about danger of consuming drugs, especially for risk groups. The chief of state asked the Government to study the situation regarding execution of decisions and orders on prevention and combat of illicite trafficking in drugs and to sanction administrations of irresponsible public institutions.

Economic Policies

1. Inflation and prices: potential forecasts

Inflation rose by 1.6% in October, risks will persist in continuation…

Inflation rose by 1.6% in October compared with September. Prices of almost all groups of goods have grown: food products (2.4%), manufactured goods (1.4%) and services granted to population (0.6%). The cumulated inflation rate reached 10.8% in ten months. Prices have grown more compared with last year, up to 6.5% in ten months. As a rule, a stronger price rise is observed at end of year, so that inflation will exceed the 12% updated objective of the Government.

Dangers capable to perpetuate inflation may come from a relaxation of tax policy (reduction of some taxes) and rise of salaries (both in public sector and in private sector). The rise pace of prices may also influence inflation when authorities are trying to correct the trade account deficit or when the calendar of administrative prices is uncertain. The evolution of prices of food products and manufactured goods is also a risk in maintaining a target inflation rate. Another danger would be a bad agricultural year 2007. Eventual rise of petroleum price could raise prices though prices of fuels have insignificantly declined on domestic market.

2. Labour market

300-dollar medium salary on economy and creation of 300,000 jobs: myth or reality…

The Government approved earlier this month some measures aimed to increase the medium monthly salary on economy up to the equivalent of 300 dollars and to create 300,000 new jobs by 2009. In this context, we come with some commentaries on objectives of the executive.

We consider that the salary quota could be real only if the economy grows by at least 9-10% a year the next period, when the productive sector truly produces and keeps the step with internal demand. Of course, this situation would enhance the productivity and budget incomes, which would increase salaries. But these conditions, better saying the economic conjuncture in Moldova, are not observed for the time being.

We consider that observers of the economic phenomenon in Moldova will contradict the optimistic estimates of officials for sure. The puffed rise of salary up to 300 dollars is a very good thing and we should be happy but we do not know how realistic this figure is and probably it is rather a mathematical finding. We would be cautious when giving such figures for real economy because of various reasons, including those mentioned earlier. In addition, the smallest Moldova is, the most various are salaries which are not identical at all. We have various circumstances and very various salaries on labour market.

While using the "medium salary" indicator we must take into account the fact that its relevance is reduced because of regional-economic polarisation. For example, the medium salary paid in the Chisinau municipality in 2005 exceeded the medium salary on country by 40% and the wage paid in Balti by 25%. The districts of Telenesti, Rascani, Leova and Soldanesti are disadvantaged areas regarding salaries (and disfavoured in general economic terms implicitly) and there salary paid there was below 60% of the national average. We think that it is important to ensure a macroeconomic stability in a strong inflationist environment in order to reach such a level (300 dollars) because the perverse effects are overwhelming.

On the other hand, we must ascertain that salaries rose strongly in the latest period, especially in public administration sector. At the same time, the medium salary paid in agriculture does not reach at least half of the average on economy. According to official statistics, the number of employees in this sector declines permanently: the number of workers in agriculture dropped by about 11% in the first trimester of this year. The real salary rose by 2% only in industry in the first eight months and a significant reduction (14%) of salaries in regressing wine industry was observed. This sector faces a strong retreat of personnel who seek jobs in other sectors, try to open small business or estimate possibilities of emigration. However, statistics are very optimistic. The medium monthly salary rose by 29% in 9 months up to about 1,620 lei (122 dollars).

As regards the explosive creation of jobs (about 300,000!!!), it is strange that it will be associated with a strong salary growth. It happens vice versa in economy very often, at least the economic theory tells this, especially because statistics reveal a decline of jobs in Moldova. As a rule, firms use the easiest method to fire labour force in order to increase salaries.

Secondly, there is a growing pressure on labour market; that means higher salaries, a thing that obliges firms to introduce new technologies which save labour force and to save labour force by relieving the surplus of reserves. We discuss here the need of massive restructuring in industry and other sectors on background of circumstances, which require higher costs - tariffs of utilities, for example, and a stronger competition. On the other hand, official statistics do not cover the shadow labour, though this phenomenon is consistent in Moldova, influencing salaries and real productivity. In this regard, we mention that the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC) unveiled two weeks ago the draft national strategy on employment policies for 2007-2020.

3. Foreign trade

Foreign trade faces a critical situation…

Official statistics for January-September 2006 (T1-T3) reveal that exports dropped by 8.2% compared with the same period of 2005, while imports rose by 14.5%. Low competitiveness of domestic products conditioned by high costs and inefficient management made them less solicited on foreign markets. At the same time, the Russian embargo on exportation of production from Moldova has affected all domestic producers and exporters.

The trade balance deficit has registered an excessive level, which will affect the economic growth for sure. In spite of efforts of the Chisinau authorities aimed at resumption of exports to the Russian Federation, they finally failed. MEC presented in September the draft strategy on attracting investments and promoting exports for 2006-2015, which is expected to be implemented better than the precedent strategies.

Exports to the European Union and Central and East Europe rose constantly in the 3rd trimester of 2006. At the same time, Moldova exported few competitive products, this being a reason of satisfactory use of the GSP Plus system (60% only). According to authorities, the E.U. stands ready to issue the package of documents needed to award the system of autonomous commercial preferences. Everything will depend on Government's insistence in negotiations and promptness or receptivity of economic agents to meet the E.U. standards. At the same time, we consider that if the E.U. policy does not suffer cardinal changes, our goods for exportation, mainly agricultural, will be uncompetitive on European market.

Transdnistrian Conflict

Thawing postponed
Igor Botan, 15 November 2006

The group of 30 OSCE ambassadors who have recently paid a working visit to Moldova has concluded that the OSCE cannot persuade the conflicting sides, Chisinau and Tiraspol, to resume the five-plus-two negotiations

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Foreign Affairs

Republic of Moldova - Council of Europe

According to a conclusion of corapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Moldova cannot get rid of the monitoring, though our country has achieved some progresses in democratisation of society after the latest report on monitoring. Drawbacks and shortcomings are related to "partial" freedom of mass media, quality of justice, of adopted laws and the way they are applied.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe resumed debates on execution of the European Court of Human Rights' judgment on "Ilascu and others versus Moldova and the Russian Federation" at the November 8 session. The Moldovan delegation has thanked the states which constantly manifested interest and support for a rapid solution to this case. The Finnish delegation has reiterated on behalf of the European Union Presidency the concerns of the E.U. over non-settlement of this case and urged Moldova and the Russian Federation to take all measures for an immediate release of Andrei Ivantoc and Tudor Petrov-Popa. Finland noted again that the non-execution of this ruling by the Russian Federation deteriorates the image of this country within the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the credibility of the whole human rights protection system.

The ECHR has sentenced Moldova in another four cases:

• Draguta vs Moldova - violation of Article 6 (1) and Article 1 of the Protocol # 1 of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights. The Moldovan Government will pay more than 13,000 euros to the applicant in pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages;
• Holomiov vs Moldova - violation of Article 3, Article 5 and Article 6 of the Convention; the applicant will be paid 25,800 euros;
• Braga vs Moldova - violation of Article 6 (1) of the Convention, with the ECHR obliging the Moldovan Government to pay more than 3,000 euros to applicant;
• Melnic vs Moldova - violation of Article 6 (1) of the Convention; the Government must pay 23,000 euros to applicant in pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.

Republic of Moldova - European Union

The European Union intends to modify the procedure of granting financial assistance to Moldova in 2007, so that Moldova will receive more assistance within the Neighbourhood Policy. According to minister of foreign affairs and European integration, the TACIS programme will be replaced with a new tool, which will not be limited to technical assistance only. More than 50 percent of the sources granted from European funds will be directed to support the state budget for implementation of economic and infrastructure development projects.

A recent report by the European Commission insists on priority of European values, geographic limits and warns over enlargement. The commission stipulates stricter conditions for admission of candidates, especially for political reforms in these states, without excluding the accession of new candidates in future. The enlargement agenda includes now the Western Balkans and Turkey, but it is premature to schedule the accession of these candidates.

Republic of Moldova - Romania

The Mediafax news agency has quoted Romanian President Traian Basescu as saying that he "is disappointed with the integrated history textbook" promoted in Moldovan educational institutions. Speaking about relationship between Romania and Moldova, the Romanian president reiterated that Romania supports the integration of Moldova in the E.U. enlargement wave that covers the Western Balkans area, in order to avoid the inclusion of the neighbouring country in the wave comprising Ukraine. Basescu noted that the growth of confidence between political factors from Bucharest and Chisinau is the only goal of Romanian authorities at present.

On November 3, the Romanian Traffic Police and the Moldovan Border Guards Service signed a plan on cooperation between border institutions for 2007, which stipulates intensified efforts against crimes at the Moldova-Romania state border, a series of measures to strengthen the border management.

The Romanian Consulate in Chisinau accepts applications for collective visas from Moldovan citizens. The diplomatic mission will introduce an online appointment system for persons seeking individual visas. The embassy assures that Moldovans will not pay for Romanian visas.

Republic of Moldova - Russian Federation

The Yedinaya Rossia Party has delegated a group of lawmakers from the State Duma to monitor the presidential elections in the unrecognised Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (Deputies Olga Selivestrova, Konstantin Zatulin and Sergey Kolesnikov are delegated).

Vladimir Yakunin, director of the Russian railway company, has described the decision to suspend the train # 47 with Chisinau-Moscow destination as political, noting that Russian railway authorities coordinate their international relations accordingly to political conjuncture and evolutions.

Moldova's chief sanitary doctor has commented on accusations brought by his Russian counterpart Gennady Onishchenko, saying that "the community of experts and doctors from Moldova estimates with deep compassion and pity the size of alcohol poisoning in the Russian Federation, with Moldovan authorities taking additional measures to verify all spirits from the Russian Federation, though such social epidemics have not been registered in Moldova.

Rospotrebndazor has stopped negotiations with Moldovan authorities regarding the access of wines to Russian market. Rospotrebndazor head Gennady Onishchenko said that the contacts have been suspended because the "Moldovan side failed the agreed measures." At the same time, Onishchenko said that there is a better perspective for negotiations on resumption of spirits exports from Transnistria [a Rospotrebnadzor delegation has already visited the region] and Abkhazia.

According to data of the National Bureau for Statisitcs, the Russian Federation remains the main importer of Moldovan products in January-September. Goods worth 142.3 million dollars were delivered to the Russian Federation in nine months of this year, which is by 15.2 percent less than in the same period of 2005.

Moldova in the world

According to data of the National Bureau for Statistics, 494 foreign citizens obtained residence permits in Moldova in January-September 2006. At the same time, 1,256 immigrants have arrived in Moldova in the period concerned, of them 762 persons obtained fixed-term permits. Most foreign citizens (250) have arrived from Ukraine and Turkey (237). More than 1,300 persons have repatriated themselves from Moldova in the same period.

Moldova was declared eligible for full financial assistance of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in 2007. The Board of Directors of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation said that Moldova has joined another 22 countries eligible for development assistance. Eligibility for the Complete Program is a direct result of reformation policies promoted by Moldovan Government, being "a prize for implementation of some good policies."

Studies, Analyses, Comments

Gagauzia: The Region of Development
Galina Selari, 15 November 2006

At the beginning of September the Government examined and established the "tasks" concerning one of the most discussed issues of its Programme - "the two magical threes": 300 thou new labour places and the country average wage of 300 USD

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