01 August 2018 – The Economic Council to the Prime Minister has presented today its main achievements and priorities for upcoming period, at a meeting attended by PM Pavel Filip, as well as representatives of business community and development partners, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.

Premier Pavel Filip reviewed the reforms initiated by the Government for improving business environment and highlighted contribution of Economic Council in their promotion. “It is a team I like and I really care about. In this period, we have been trying to come up with several projects to improve the economic situation in Moldova, offering possibility for Government to come up with social investments. We consider a pro-business government because we want to change the social situation in Moldova very much and there is no other way than economic development,” said Premier.

The Head of Executive said that on platform of Economic Council, there were found solutions for reducing the number of permissive acts, reform of inspections, simplification of construction procedures, facilitation of issuance of work and residence permits, modification of Labour Code. “The solutions are here and they depend on us. If we intend to get necessary reforms and if we offer business attractiveness, then people will have a job, they will have income, they will stay in Moldova and they will feel good here,” said Pavel Filip.

The representatives of business associations welcomed recent tax reform, noting that it would help reduce the informal economy. “All the governments so far have gone one way – the punitive one, constrain business environment and guide it to comply with rules. Very few cases in economic history of Moldova where incentives for economic agents were adopted to motivate them to work legally,” specified director of the National Employers’ Confederation of Moldova, Vladislav Caminschi.

During the meeting, the Council six working groups presented the most recent results of work on each segment: eliminating the constraints in entrepreneurial activity, facilitating cross-border trade, stimulating and maintaining private investment, reducing informal employment and wages in envelope, development of labour market and improving the position of Moldova in international economic rankings. It also outlined the directions for further efforts, including: customs valuation, e-commerce, removal of social security fund tax for telecoms companies and combating informal transport activities.

PM Pavel Filip has called for a working group on justice sector to be set up on the Council platform to analise and overcome the current business constraints, which was also supported by development partners.

The representatives of business associations appreciated the efficiency of the work of Council and thanked for involvement in identifying solutions to issues faced by entrepreneurs. They stated that they “have unprecedented collaboration with the state institutions” and thanked for political will manifested in supporting the initiatives that improve the conditions for entrepreneurship.