OREANDA-NEWS. May 13, 2010. As the press service of the Ministry of Economy informs, this was announced by the Vice-Premier, the Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar during the meeting with the World Bank Regional Director for Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus Martin Raiser, the World Bank Regional Director for Moldova Melanie Marlett and the chief economist of the WB in Moldova Dino Merotto. Valeriu Lazar noted that the current priority of the cabinet is to implement the medium-term reform package.

According to him, special attention should be paid to reforms that eliminate barriers in the investment process and, consequently, promote trade liberalization and positively influence business and population. During the meeting the parties have discussed the medium-term program of reforms of Moldovan government in the context of economic assessment made by WB, including relevant issues of the energy sector.

It was noted that the program is aimed at removing restrictions on trade, improving profitability of traditional Moldovan exports, reducing barriers to the private investment in the energy sector, removing obstacles to private investment in telecommunications and improving business regulation. It was stressed that for improving the investment climate in the country it is planned to create the industrial parks, fully use the potential of the free economic zones, accelerate reforms to improve the system of authorizations, administration, import/export transactions, which would facilitate legislation on exports regulation.

The sides also discussed the successful completion of the negotiations on the Agreement on funding stabilization and economic recovery program between the Moldovan government and the World Bank amounting to USD25 million and allocated as budgetary support to cover the costs of economic recovery and social protection. Moldova joined the World Bank in 1992. To date, the WB has funded 53 projects worth USD 592 million in our country. At present 29 projects are in the process of implementation.