MINISTERIAL COUNCIL OF EU TOOK A DECISION TO PROVIDE MOLDOVA WITH FINANCIAL AID OF 45 MLN. EUROS FOR FACILITY OF PAYMENT BALANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAM OF REFORMS.
As it was informed earlier, the Euro commission has proposed to Ministerial council of EU to provide Moldova with financial aid at a rate of 45 million euro for 2007-2008 for solving current problems with payment balance at the session of Consultative group of donors for Moldova. In time of the session, representatives of European Union, World bank, IMF and other international organizations and donors have declared readiness to provide Moldova with the aid of $1,5 mln. within three years for continuation of reforms. In particular, the European commission declared, that plans to allocate to Moldova 209 million euro in the nearest 4 years. The commissioner for external connections and European policy of neighborhood of EU Benita Ferrero-Waldner noted, that Moldova has achieved good progress in introduction of the Plan of action of Moldova-EU, however, subsequent drastic measures should be undertaken in such areas, as observance of fundamental laws and human rights, judicial reform and improvement of investment climate. As she said, the increase of financial assistance from donors, including EU, is the important element of rendering assistance to Moldova in reforms’ implementation. Since 1991, total sum of EU’s aid to Moldova has exceeded 320 million euros. In particular, in 2005-2006 Moldova has received 83 million euros from EU. Thus, 42 mln. euros were allocated within TACIS program and 13,6 mln. euros within the program of frontier cooperation. Nearby 17,4 million euro has been received within the regional programs (5,1 million euros in 2005 and 12,3 million euros in 2006, respectively). In 2005-2006 Moldova has received 10 mln. euros within the Program of national safety. Aid from ЕC was rendered to Moldova mainly within the TACIS program and the Program of food safety. The current aid is focused at performing institutional, legislative and administrative reforms, strengthening judicial system, harmonization of legislation, reform of sector of public health services, frontier cooperation, criminality prevention, civil society development, environmental problems facility. Special attention was paid to economic development, development of private sector, in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises, poverty level reduction, rendering social help by means of non-governmental institutions. It is planned, that owing to this aid, Moldova can cover deficit, provoked by external shocks - rise of the gas price and embargo for the export of wine to Russia, to continue realization of Strategy of economic growth facility and poverty level reduction. Means provided by external donors to Moldova will be also directed for launching various investment projects targeted at development of infrastructure, strengthening power safety, continuation of reforms focused at poverty level reduction and achievement of stable economic growth.