Moldovan economics ministry to propose amendments to improve business environment

Chisinau, 13 July /MOLDPRES/ - The Economics Ministry is willing to propose additional amendments to the fiscal legislation and business management, due to allow an increased comfort of small entrepreneurs from Moldova, including licence holders, Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Octavian Calmic today said at a meeting with representatives of a protest rally organized by the Small Business Association in Chisinau.  

Octavian Calmic noted that “decision makers have already proposed that the small- and medium-sized enterprises be exempted from controls for a five-year term and pay a one-off tax of 2-3 per cent of the turnover, benefit from a simple system of fiscal reporting and that any control carried out has a consultative character.”   

The discussions were focused on the problem of entrepreneurial activity on licence basis, approached by a group of protesters outside the government building. The protesters showed discontent with the fact that “the reforms on small business are blocked, and proposals, complaints and petitions by economic agents are ignored.”  

In the context, Octavian Calmic proposed that licence holders assemble at a roundtable next week and consider a survey made by the National Institute of Economic Researches. “I propose to discuss solutions to optimize the simplified taxation system, by considering also the experience of other states,” Calmic noted.  

Referring to one of the requirements filed by protesters, the deputy prime minister said that “in a ten-day period, the government will submit the notification on a legislative initiative by a group of MPs on extending the practice of trade on entrepreneur licence basis, and the parliament is to take the final decision, after all positions are examined.”

According to the State Fiscal Principal Inspectorate, over 18,000 entrepreneurs work on licence basis in Moldova, of whom about 12,000 in the trade sector. Data by the Fiscal Service shows that about 39 million lei was collected to the state budget following the issuance or extension of the licence in 2015.  

(Reporter L. Grubii, editor L. Alcaza)