OREANDA-NEWS. February 12, 2010. This was announced by the Prime Minister of Moldova Vladimir Filat. He noted that previous decision of Russia on allocation of US150 million loan to Moldova is no longer valid, since the money had been already been budgeted in 2009 but were not received.

"Now we have to start new negotiations for a new loan," said Vladimir Filat, noting that this issue will be discussed at the subsequent meetings with representatives of the Russian Government. It can be reminded that on February 5, 2010, following the results of XI meeting of Moldovan-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, its Russian co-chairman – the Minister of Science and Education Andrei Fursenko said that Russia is ready to provide Moldova with a loan worth US 150 million for implementation of the large-scale infrastructure projects.

Referring to the prospects of allocation of US 150 million loan promised before, Andrei Fursenko said that Russia is ready to provide these funds to Moldova, if this money will be used for implementation of the large-scale infrastructure projects that could make the economy more diversified and Moldova will be less dependent on the external economic conditions. According to Andrei Fursenko, such projects will be prepared by the Moldovan side. The Minister assured that issue of granting a loan to Moldova remains actual.

"When we receive the concrete proposals for the projects, we will consider this issue", - said Andrei Fursenko, noting that this position of Russia was previously confirmed by the Vice Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance of Russia Alexei Kudrin. In his turn, the co-chairman of the commission on behalf of Moldova, the Vice Premier, the Minister of Economy of Moldova Valeriu Lazar said that the Moldovan government signed a new memorandum with IMF which confirms the creditworthiness of the republic.

He noted that on March 24, 2010 it is planned to host the meeting of the donor countries of Moldova in Brussels, where the Moldovan authorities will present the participants the priority projects for infrastructure development. Valeriu Lazar also said that during the meeting of the donor countries Moldova will give preference to partners providing grants, soft loans on concessional terms, but does not exclude negotiations on obtaining commercial loans. As it was reported before, Russia expressed its readiness to provide Moldova with a US 150 million loan for 15 years with a five-year deferred payment.

It can be reminded that former authorities of Moldova have agreed with Russia on allocation of US 500 million loan to the Republic. This agreement was reached during the visit of the former President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin to Moscow on June 22, 2009 following the results of the meeting with the President Dmitry Medvedev and the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin. Vladimir Voronin said then that US 500 million loan, which Russia agreed to allocate to Moldova, will be available in three tranches. It was planned that the first tranche amounting to about US150 million will be allocated to Moldova by late 2009, the second tranche in the same amounts will be received in 2010, and the remaining amount of US 200 million Moldova will get in 2011.