Great Britain to finance implementation of eight projects in Moldova

Chisinau, 19 April /MOLDPRES/- The UK Government’s Good Governance Fund was launched in Chisinau on 18 April. It will earmark over 5 million euros during 2016-2017 for implementing eight projects in Moldova, the Economics Ministry’s press service has reported.

Attending the event, Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic said that given Moldova was part of the fund, initiated in 2015 for supporting the Eastern Partnership states – Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, it denoted that Moldova had a very good cooperation with the British government, and the launch of the eight projects pointed to setting a new level much more advanced in the cooperation relations between the two states.

Calmic noted that the over 5 million euros, allocated to implement the projects, would be directed to reform the most sensitive sectors, including the fight against corruption, improving business environment, justice reform, financial-banking sector, energy sector, consolidation of local public administration etc. “The reform agenda is focused on implementing the Association Agreement and the Free Trade zone, currently representing the guidelines for domestic reforms, improving business environment, drawing investments etc”, the quoted source reads.

For his part, State Secretary, Head of the Diplomatic Service of the UK, Sir Simon McDonald, said that the British authorities intended to contribute to developing Moldova, including by implementing the eight projects on reforming key sectors for Moldova. “We will cooperate with the authorities to reduce corruption, poverty and instability. Transparency and banking reform are very important, we will improve the legal framework together with the National Bank. Yet, the justice reform is necessary for citizens to regain the trust in legal system”, the official said.

Projects on creating a guide for individualizing penalties for corruption cases, assistance for new department for monitoring transparency of shareholdings created at the National Bank for setting internal procedures of activity, assistance for developing Regional Development Agency recently created in Gagauz-Yeri, providing analytical support for an optimal tax system, managing public expenses etc. are to be implemented during the two years.  

 (Reporter A. Mardare, editor M. Jantovan)