Moldovan trade unions, employers’ associations back budget-fiscal policy for 2016

Chisinau, 9 March /MOLDPRES/-Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic chaired a meeting of the national commission for collective consultations and negotiations today, to discuss the provisions of the fiscal, customs and budget policy for 2016.

Attending the meeting were representatives of central public authorities, National Trade Unions Confederation (CNSM), National Employers' Associations, business environment and the civil society. As a result, the sides unanimously backed the provisions of the budget-fiscal policy for 2016 and spoke out for submitting its current draft to the government and parliament. They also agreed to continue talks on the budget policy for 2017 in the current format.

Calmic said the commission was a platform for direct communication and collaboration with interested sides, partners and civil society. According to him, talks within this tripartite body will have a positive impact on the policies initiated and promoted by the government. “Most of the proposals have been accepted. The rest of them will be discussed during the following talks and will be included in the budget-fiscal policy for 2017,” Calmic emphasized.

Finance Minister Octavian Armasu unveiled the main proposed amendments, and mainly, to increase the deadline for reporting losses caused by entrepreneurial activity from three to seven years and exclude its phasing in equal parts. Another amendment provides for introducing a wealth tax for natural persons-owners of real estate with a surface larger than 120 square meters and a financial value, estimated and approximated by territorial cadastral bodies, exceeding 1.5 million lei. In this context, Armasu touched upon the need to increase excise tax rates for alcoholic beverages, jewelry, vehicles, tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes, by adjusting them to the inflation rate (10.5 per cent) forecast for 2016.

The amendments also provide for a decrease in the excise tax rate for apple and pear cider of 2.38 lei per liter and an increase in the excise tax rate for petroleum products imported or/and delivered on Moldova’s territory (petrol, diesel and their derivatives, and liquefied natural gas) in compliance with the annual increase of the Gross Domestic Product forecast for 2016 against 2015 (11.4 per cent).

Representatives of trade unions and employers’ associations welcomed the above-mentioned draft law exposed for public consultations. However, they wanted to continue talks and consultations on a string of proposals to be included in the budget-fiscal policy for the next years.

The national commission for collective consultations and negotiations is a Moldovan tripartite body, in charge of holding consultations on social-economic strategies and policies while still in the elaboration process. The commission is also responsible for solving national conflict situations between social partners.

(Reporter A. Mardare, Editor A. Raileanu)