OREANDA-NEWS. June 16, 2011. It was said at the meeting at the Ministry of Economy, where the Ministry presented to the development partners its priorities of foreign assistance for economic reforms, particularly, concerning three sectors: business development, investment promotion and trade policy; quality infrastructure and protection of consumer’s rights; energy efficiency and energy security.

It was said at the meeting that to support the business development and investment promotion policy, 13.6 million euros are needed. Particularly, 2 million euros are planned to be attracted to capitalize the Credit Guaranteeing Fund, 5 million euros – for the Program of Attracting Remittances to Economy (PARE 1+1), 2 million euros – for creating four business-incubators, 1.5 million euros – for promoting the small- and medium-sized enterprises development policy, 3.1 million euros – to support the Moldovan Investment and Export Promotion Organization (MIEPO).

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Valerii Lazar, presiding the meeting, asked for donors’ support to achieve the goals, given that the money stipulated for this, is not enough. He emphasized that 10 million leis had been allocated to implement the pilot PARE 1+1 Program, however, the demand for resources was about thrice higher. Valerii Lazar said the amount of the needed foreign assistance to promotion of the policy in trade, quality infrastructure and consumer rights’ protection was determined by the Ministry at 1.9 million euros.

Valerii Lazar stressed that no progress can be achieved in protection of consumers’ rights and production’s quality assurance without considerable investments into the “heart” of the quality infrastructure system – an independent and financially autonomous accrediting institution which will provided an unbiased examination. According to the Minister, a viable development model which would ensure competition, including participation of the private sector in this field is being searched for in the area of metrology.

The Economy Minister also urged donors to appoint a coordinator for each of the project’s parts, following example of the Swedish Development Agency, coordinating technical assistance in the energy sector.