IMF mission continues visit to Moldova with meetings at Economics and Infrastructure Ministry

Chisinau, 19 March /MOLDPRES/ - The team of experts of the International Monetary Fund, which arrived in Chisinau on 15 March, today continued its two-week visit with a meeting at the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry (MEI). In the context, Minister Chiril Gaburici discussed with the team of IMF experts, led by Ben Kelmanson, the forecast of macroeconomic indexes for 2017-2023, the main risks which can lead to the non-fulfillment of the basic forecasts, as well as the energy security, diversification of the sources of electric energy and gas supply, roads’ infrastructure.  

The economics and infrastructure minister informed the IMF experts mission that the investor for the construction of the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline had been identified and the contract would be signed till late March. Also, the government approved a draft law which sees the compensation of losses of the owners of real estate on the way of the construction of the Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline, in order to remove any risk or obstacle in the process of its building.   

“The energy security is one of the principal priorities of the Economics and Infrastructure Ministry. As for the Ungheni-Chisinau gas transportation pipeline, we have a well-established plan and concrete steps which we should undertake, in order to start the pipeline construction works in next June,” Chiril Gaburici said.   

The head of the IMF experts’ team, Ben Kelmanson, positively appreciated the government’s efforts in the energy sector, especially as regards the approval of the new methodology of setting the electricity tariffs, worked out by the National Energy Regulatory Agency (ANRE), on the basis of which the tariffs are to be established transparently. The IMF experts expressed support for the authorities’ plans to invest in the public infrastructure and encouraged MEI to further implement the actions planned.    

Another subject discussed was a programme, Good Roads for Moldova, due to be implemented during this year. The IMF experts noted that this was an ambitious project, from which Moldova’s citizens would benefit: developed infrastructure, investments and new jobs.  

The experts’ team will have discussions with the authorities, in the context of the third evaluation of the programme backed by IMF through the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF). The mission will analyze the recent developments in the economy and the progress made in implementing the authorities’ programme, will update the macroeconomic forecast and will discuss with the authorities the long-run macroeconomic policies.

The three-year programme with Moldova, supported by IMF, was approved on 7 November 2016. The programme is financed through a loan worth about 187 million dollars, of which 83 million dollars has been already earmarked.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor L. Alcaza)